Legend of Zelda: Shadow Agent
by SausageLink43
Summary: My name is Link. I work for the HBI, the Hyrule Bureau of Investigation. The agency is loyal to King Ganondorf, who conquered the land of Hyrule and sent it into a plague-stricken apocalypse. While the king thinks he has my loyalty, every night I slip away to the Lorule rebellion to plot Ganon's downfall. [Heavy ZeLink, Romance/Action/Drama, Future AU (Sci-Fi), Rated T.]
1. Prologue

**This is my first AU. Thanks for checking it out. If you haven't already, read my Skyward Sword sequel story. It's called "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule."**

**This story will have no OCs. The characters will be mostly taken from Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and Ocarina of Time. Link and Zelda in this story are based on their Skyward Sword appearances, for the record.**

**This story takes place in modern day, with technology and gadgets and the like. I will focus on ZeLink romance and action. Don't worry: it's NOT a cliché high school love story. I typically don't like those.**

**Oh, and this is a common thing. I give song suggestions for you readers to listen to while reading, and I specify when you should listen to which song. The songs will come from games like Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, and even Hyrule Warriors.**

**Song Suggestions: Backstory- "Fi's Theme (Piano Lament)" / Misc.- "Guilty Feeling" (Skyward Sword OST, Hyrule Warriors OST, respectively)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

**Feel free to leave a Review, Follow, and/or Favorite!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Prologue<strong>

0650 HOURS.

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

"Link!" Pipit yelled to me. "Get up, man!"

My eyelids snapped open and I saw my brown-haired friend looking down at me. I was laying on the tile floor beneath my desk, files and worthless papers scattered around. I slowly propped myself up on my elbows, squinting at the bright lights hanging down from the ceiling.

"Look," he scolded, "just because you're the 'legendary hero's descendant' doesn't mean that you get to sleep on the job. You're lucky that the great Ganondorf didn't kill you immediately upon learning your identity." He sighed. "Now get up. We still have a case to crack." He offered me his hand, and I took it willingly.

Once I was at eye level with Pipit, I said, "Yeah… what was that, exactly?"

Pipit put a hand to his face, groaning. "Oh my Hylia, Link. Sometimes I wonder how you even got into this honored agency." I ignored his comment and looked at him for further explanation. Pipit sighed. "Some Ordon villagers are stealing from Castle Town."

"What are they stealing?" I asked, yawning and rubbing my tired eyes.

"Plague medications. They're stealing from the higher class. That's enough to send them to their graves," Pipit said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If the plague doesn't do that already," I muttered under my breath.

"What?"

I shook my head. "We're not going to kill them, are we?"

Pipit ran his fingers through his hair. "…If push comes to shove, then yes."

"Pipit, Ordon Village used to be my home. We can't do that!"

"Link, let go of the past!" Pipit yelled in my face. "So what if you used to live in the slums of Ordon? You were drop dead broke! Now look at yourself! You're a top-notch agent for the HBI, serving the great Ganon himself. Forget about that past life, okay, Link? Me picking you up off the streets was the best thing that ever happened to you." I nodded, grateful for my friend.

I was thrust into a memory of the past that I wasn't too fond of.

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><p>Shortly after my (unfortunate) birth in Ordon, both of my parents died. I raised myself. I lived alone in a tree house that I had crafted with my fine woodworking skills. Unlike the rest of the kingdom, blessed with lights, heat, and electricity, the Ordon Province was the poorest province. The roads weren't paved; instead they were dirt. If you touched anything rather than your own clothes and home, you'd be infected with the plague. I often wandered the streets with a mask pulled over my mouth and nose, hoping to find something useful. However, most of my necessities were located in the forest behind my tree house, such as fruit, firewood, and clean water. My neighbors weren't strong (andor smart) enough to search for their needs in the forest like me, due to their plague-infected bodies and fears of monsters lurking in the trees.

Despite terrible living conditions, I still had friends. There was Talo, an action-driven boy who loved adventures. Malo was a grumpy, quiet human being who always tried to sell me stuff that I didn't need. I was cautious with the few rupees in my wallet. And then there was Ilia… sweet, innocent Ilia… who had the plague and tried to kiss me to get me infected.

What a bitch.

I was fifteen, wandering the streets looking for work to gain some more rupees. That's when a magnificent black steed galloped up to me. When the rider in his dark yellow tunic saw me, he slowed the horse to a stop. The black stallion reared up on its hind legs, kicking its front legs outward.

"Greetings," said the man, who looked to be my age. I studied his tunic. On the right breast was a patch that had three letters on it: HBI.

"Greetings returned," I said respectfully.

The boy had a good-sized pistol on his waist, making me shift uneasily. Strapped on my back was an iron shield that I had welded, which should easily block the bullets that could shoot out of that gun. I put my arm over it, ready to whip it out if needed.

"I hear talk of an Ordonian prodigy, such as myself," he said. "Tell me… what is your name?"

"Link." I began to back up slowly, but stopped to show that I wasn't afraid. "And you?"

"They call me Pipit," he said. "I am the Eldin Province's prodigy. If you haven't noticed by my badge already," he pointed at it with a proud smile, "I am in the HBI."

"Yes, I saw it." Okay, this guy was freaking me out. Since when does Hyrule ever care about the slums of Ordon? Why would they send an HBI agent to our village all of a sudden? "Uh… What brings you to Ordon, Pipit?"

"Ah, do not worry. No one here is in trouble with the law." Pausing, Pipit rethought his last comment. "…Yet," he added slyly. "Nay, I have come to recruit another prodigy… Do you have any idea who that person could be?"

I shrugged. Truthfully, I knew I was Ordon's prodigy. Every province had one, which would form today's HBI (a small agency, for the record. It only has five agents so far). Here's how prodigies are found:

Every year, all children at age eleven from every province would board a bus to Castle Town, Hyrule's largest, most magnificent city. The buses lead to a government facility, where every child takes an "anonymous" assessment, required by Ganondorf to find good soldiers to help fight against the Lorule Provinces (the rebellion). The assessments record physical, mental, and strategical ability. Though Hyrule claims that these tests are anonymous, they inscribe tattoos on every child's arm, displaying their score in bold, black ink. A perfect score is a 900. Only prodigies get 900's. Those people get sent to the HBI without a moment's notice, where they will be trained to become Hyrule's greatest agents.

"Are you infected with the plague, Link?" Pipit asked.

I shook my head. "No. I am very cautious."

Pipit nodded, a smile forming on his lips. "May I see your right arm?"

I hesitated, thinking. Did I want to stay in Ordon with my friends, and possibly die? Or did I want to work for an agency for the kingdom that I didn't give a shit about?

Finally, I made my decision. I walked up to the boy on the black stallion, pulling back my long brown sleeve.

Pipit smiled at the perfect 900 tattoo, realizing he found his guy.

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><p>"You're right," I told Pipit.<p>

"Damn right, I'm right!" Pipit exclaimed with a grin, patting my shoulder.

The HBI was supposed to be a top-secret location, and it was, save for we members, Ganondorf, and one other person: Zant.

Zant was known as the descendant of the Usurper King, ruler of the Twilight Realm, who somehow made it back into the world of light. The portal to the Twilight Realm was destroyed many years ago, so it was a mystery as to how this generation's Zant is living in the world of light.

Anyway, Zant was a successful entrepreneur who owned a massive skyscraper in Castle Town, and was loyal to the king. So, he agreed to give the top floor of his business to us, the Hyrule Bureau of Investigation. (Zant's business was selling historical artifacts that were scattered around Hyrule; most said artifacts were the items and gadgets my descendants had used back in the uncivilized days of yore. Anyway, he named his business "Zantland" for narcissistic reasons.)

My job was downright awesome. My desk was right by a window, overlooking the entire city of Castle Town. The view was amazing. The only downside of working in the top floor of a skyscraper was the painfully long elevator ride up.

Our facility had seven desks, but only five were occupied by agents. The remaining two were left empty for the next prodigies to reveal themselves.

Pipit and I had gotten to work early, determined to finish this case for King Ganondorf. That's why I had fallen asleep; it was only 7 a.m.

I heard the ding of the elevator, and I knew that we were about to be joined by a fellow agent. In came Groose, Lanayru Province's prodigy. The broad-shouldered Gerudo boy marched in with a spring in his step. He wore a pair of dark sunglasses, which each agent had been issued. He took them off and peered at us. "You two are in here early," he said.

"We could say the same for you," I said.

"Shut it, Ordonian! I ain't doin' nothin'!" Groose retorted.

I looked at Pipit, confused. I honestly didn't know how Groose got a perfect 900 on the exams… I was actually quite surprised he even passed. I thought he cheated, which was virtually impossible. Groose wasn't very smart, but somehow he managed.

"Calm down, Groose," Pipit said. "Link wasn't accusing you of anything."

Groose rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at the blue carpet. "Yeah, okay. You see… the reason I came here was…" Groose began snickering, staring off into space and letting his imagination take over.

"Go on, Groose," Pipit urged.

The muscular boy snapped out of his dream world. "Right! The reason I came here was because… Malon and Fledge found the next prodigy! Fledge said it's…" he began snickering again, "a girl."

I rolled my eyes. "Dammit, Groose! If you scare this one off with your creepy flirting, I swear-"

I was cut short by another ding of the elevator. The metal does opened, revealing three figures. Fledge and Malon, prodigies from Faron Province and Lake Hylia respectively, walked in. A blonde girl followed.

The girl stepped inside the facility, her blue eyes locked with mine. Her skin was slightly pale, but it didn't affect her beauty in any negative way. She wore a white dress ending slightly below her knees. Her golden hair was held together on either side of her face by purple hair bands, with matching bracelets and shoes. She was, in all honesty, beautiful.

Malon, the cute girl from Lon Lon Ranch beside Lake Hylia, said, "Pipit, Link, Groose, I'd like you to meet the prodigy from Castle Town-"

I knew who she was. I never met her, but I easily recognized her. That's why I didn't let Malon finish her sentence.

"Zelda."

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><p><strong>Yeah, it was short. But they'll get longer as I go along. Please check out my other story, "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule".<strong>

**Since I can't put a picture here, allow me to type you up a brief geography lesson:**

**In the kingdom of Hyrule, there are seven provinces. Directly in the middle of the map is Hyrule Castle (NOT A PROVINCE). North- Eldin Province (volcano). South of Hyrule Castle is Castle Town (skyscrapers, metropolis). East- Faron Province (forest, but civilized). South- Ordonia Province (the ghetto). West- Lanayru Province (desert). Northeast- Snowpeak Province (snowy mountains). Southeast- Lake Hylia (plains, lake, river).**

**The Lorule Provinces are far south of Ordon Village, but I'll get to explaining those in the future.**

**Anyway, I hope you like this AU. I am going to make it a lot longer, if it's well-received.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	2. Snowpeak

**I'm back, baby.**

**So you know how Lorule was the evil version of Hyrule in Zelda: A Link Between Worlds? Well in this story Lorule is the good version of Hyrule, since Hyrule had been overthrown by Ganon. Just clearing that up.**

**Song suggestions: Rupin encounter- "Under Siege" / Misc.- "Guilty Feeling" (Both songs from Hyrule Warriors OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Snowpeak<strong>

2150 HOURS.

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

We prodigies all lived a block away from Zantland and the agency. That way we'd "never be late to work," according to King Ganondorf. What a fool, he was. We didn't even have supervisors! No one would catch us if we were late.

Anyway, since we prodigies required large living spaces, the ninth (and top) floor of Anju Apartments only had four rooms. The owner, Anju herself, said that due to limited space, everyone would have to share a room with another. Pipit and Groose were roommates, and Fledge and Malon were roommates as well. Malon chose Fledge to be her roommate because he was nicer and more timid, and she didn't want a hormonal guy (namely Groose) drooling over her while they lived together.

So, lucky for me, I got a room all to myself.

That is, they said, until the next prodigy comes. Then I'd get a roommate. I protested, arguing that the next prodigy should just take the last room and leave me alone in mine. They retorted by saying that the last prodigy to reveal himself or herself would live in that room.

So there I was, opening the door to let Zelda into my apartment.

"Um, h-hey," she said timidly, almost cutely.

Wait, what!? Come on, Link. You don't even know her. Don't develop feelings for a coworker anyway.

"Hello," I said without a smile. I extended my hand out to her. "May I take your bags?"

She nodded, handing over a large black bag. "Thank you."

After awkwardly setting the bag down in the middle of the room, I turned to face her. She was staring at me, like she had no idea what she was supposed to do. "Okay, I need to know where you'll be sleeping, and stuff."

Zelda pointed to the opposite side of the room where my bed was. "There… I'll take that half."

My apartment was freaking awesome. I could see how amazed Zelda was when she first came in. The door was at the south end of the room, and when you first walk in you're standing on kitchen tiles. The northeast corner of the walls were windows from ceiling to floor, overlooking the entire beauty of Castle Town. Naturally, Zelda picked that side to put her stuff. The kitchen was in the southwest corner, but it was large, complete with state-of-the-art appliances. A bathroom was in the southeastern corner. My belongings (queen-sized bed, cupboards, wardrobe, nightstand, picture frame of my parents, and a lamp) were in the northwestern corner of the apartment. I didn't have much, but that left more room for Zelda.

I had bought an extra bed, cupboards, wardrobe, and nightstand for the new prodigy a year ago when I had actually wanted a roommate. Stupid me. Be careful what you wish for, dumb sixteen-year-old self. So, those said items were left on Zelda's side of the room.

"I'm sorry," said the blonde girl, "but I didn't catch your name. What is it?"

"Link," I said. I offered her my gloved hand and she took it, shaking it daintily. "Don't worry; I mean well. You'll enjoy it here, Zelda," I said nonchalantly.

The blonde nodded, still looking at me a little funny. What was with this girl? "Link, how do you know my name?"

"Hmm?" I asked, readjusting my dark green cap over my long, golden-brown hair.

"I haven't even told you my name… yet you know it somehow. Why is that?"

I sighed, not knowing exactly how I knew this girl's name. But she wanted an answer, so I needed to give her one. "You know that legend that you hear by the campfire, or that your parents tell you at bedtime…?" She tilted her head in my direction, intrigued. I went on. "Of course, there are many legends Hyrule has to offer. But I'm talking of the very first one."

Zelda sat down on her bed. "…The legend of the skies?"

"Yes. Hylia's chosen hero destroyed Demise, the Demon King. In a dying wish, he cursed the hero and Hylia's reincarnate to be reborn every hundred years or so, along with the hatred that burns within Demise…"

"And… how does this have to do with you knowing my name?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm getting there. Anyway, I am Link, the hero's descendant. I have a feeling that you are of the same bloodline as Hylia's reincarnate." I paused, kneeling down to her eye level. "I feel like fate has brought us together."

She backed up, her expression mixed with confusion and worry. "I don't think I have Hylia's blood, Link," she said meekly. "I can't trace back to my ancestors… I can't even trace back to my parents."

"What?" I asked, sitting next to her. "What do you mean?"

She looked into my blue eyes with her own beautiful ones, murmuring, "…My parents are dead."

I nodded in realization, looking down at the floor. "I know how you feel."

Zelda shook her head. "No you don't, Link. For all I know, you're some rich kid who had a perfect childhood living with your parents, and… and…" She began to sob, putting her hands in her face. "You don't know what it's like to have no childhood…"

"I grew up as an orphan in the ghettos of the Ordonia Province," I said firmly. Zelda looked at me through her tears, mouth slightly agape. "Every day I had to cover my face to protect myself from the plague while walking down the dirt roads. I lived in a tree house with a maximum of five rupees in my pocket per week. No electricity, no plague medications, nothing. When I took the exams at age eleven I had avoided any government official so I wouldn't have to leave my home and work for a kingdom I don't give a damn about." I stood up, maintaining eye contact with the girl. "So, I'm sorry you lost your parents."

I left my own apartment, slamming the door on the way out.

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><p>2230 HOURS.<p>

ANJU APARTMENTS LOBBY, CASTLE TOWN.

65 DEGREES INSIDE.

I was about to leave the building and go for a walk to cool myself down. Before I could, however, something caught my eye. I looked into a mirror next to the revolving door, seeing an almost foreign man looking back at me.

I was in my dark forest-colored tunic (not the bright green that my ancestors wore; a much darker tunic). I wore a similarly-colored hat, which was long and pointy at the end much like my ancestors' hats. Under my tunic was a smoky undershirt, almost black. And finally underneath that was a thin, but bulletproof, vest. On my right breast, shining silver letters read: HBI. The tunic ended just above my elbows, and on my arms were two brown gauntlets. Over my eyes were the standard HBI sunglasses, and I wore them even though it was night.

I looked one hundred percent badass.

I was about to go back upstairs and apologize to my new roommate, who I felt that I needed to get along with, when I spotted something peculiar out the window.

In the barely-illuminated streets of night, I caught a glimpse of a familiar man walking past the apartment complex. He had a large backpack which was overstuffed with masks. His face was wrinkled from excessive smiling, but today he wore just a determined frown.

On a mission, I suppose?

I chuckled when I saw the Triforce logo (the symbol of Lorule) on the man's purple vest. Some rookie Lorulean in a cheap disguise. I heard talk of this man lurking in the streets of Castle Town. Now was my chance to catch him.

I didn't know what he was up to, but I knew he'd be trouble. Maybe I should tail him?

"Link?" asked the bellhop, Kafei. "Malon wants to know where you've stormed off to…"

I kept looking at the man, who stopped in the middle of the street. "Tell them I'm going for a walk," I said.

"Yes, Link."

I flipped Kafei a red rupee and began to ease my way toward the revolving lobby door. Then the guy with the masks quickly turned his head, looking straight at me with a freaky Redead mask on his face.

I jumped, startled at the hideous mask.

The mask guy removed the Redead mal from his face, laughing at me. He mouthed, "You fool," in my direction, then broke into a run down the streets.

"Hey!" I yelled.

I was in hot pursuit, pushing my way through the revolving door and sprinting full-speed towards the Lorulean man. He was quick on his feet, but the heavy backpack weighed him down. I easily caught up, yelling, "Stop!"

The man turned his head, this time wearing a Goron mask on his face. I hesitated before lunging upwards, bringing my fist into the center of the mask, caving it in. He fell to the ground, removing the dented mask from his face. People gathered close enough to see, but far enough away as to not be seen by me.

"Ow!" complained the man. "What was that for? Can't you take a joke?"

I cuffed his hands together with a pair of handcuffs I kept in my pouch. "No hard feelings," I said. "Just business."

"What 'business'?" mocked the man.

"I work for the HBI, and you obviously work for Lorule. Therefore, you are under arrest." I gripped the chain in between the two cuffs, ripping the man up to his feet. "Name?" I demanded.

"Rupin. Some refer to me as the 'Happy Mask Salesman.'" Then the guy smiled creepily.

"What are you smiling about, you fool?"

The man's eyes flickered white, as if taking a picture of me, and then he said, "Now we know who to look for."

The man's frame turned to thin blue wires, and he disappeared into thin air.

A hologram.

"Damn!" I cursed as the handcuffs fell to the ground. I snatched them up and returned them to my pouch.

_Now we know who to look for._

What could that mean? When Rupin's eyes flashed, he took a picture of me, most likely sending it back to the Lorule Provinces. After all, the Loruleans were the first to cover up with technology like that.

Disappointed at myself, I shook my head and returned to my apartment building, ignoring all onlookers.

* * *

><p>0845 HOURS.<p>

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

65 DEGREES INSIDE.

I awoke with a burning sensation in my left fist. At first I was confused, but then I remembered punching the hologram. Doing so will shock your system for a few hours, forcing your mind to not feel the pain. Then after a while of ignorance you feel what I was feeling. Burning.

I shoved the sheets off of my body and hurried to the sink, where I ran cold water over my inured hand. I had completely forgotten about having a roommate, so I hadn't had the decency to be quiet that morning.

Zelda shifted in her bed, then sat up to view me. "Uh, morning, Link…" she murmured.

"Morning," I replied, turning off the water. I reached into a cabinet and pulled out a jar of blue Chu Jelly, which supposedly helped soothe burns. I spread some onto my knuckles with my other hand, ignoring Zelda's confused look aimed at me.

"What's the Chu Jelly for?" she asked me, stretching her limbs subtly.

"I got burned last night," I said flatly. I returned the jar to its shelf, closing the cabinet door. "Lorulean hologram."

Zelda nodded, though it looked like she didn't understand. She was very new to the agency; she probably didn't know close to half the stuff we did about technology. She looked like she was about to ask me something, but was struggling to find words.

I walked over to her side of the room and offered her an explanation. "Last night, after I… left, I saw this guy walking down the street. On his vest was a Triforce."

"The Lorule symbol?"

"Yes. A stupid rookie mistake, I had thought. Everyone knows the Hyrulean symbol is the Great Sword. So when I ran out to confront the guy, I took a swing at him," I showed her my jelly-covered fist, "and I earned this. Then the guy took a picture of me, said, 'Now we know who to look for,' and disappeared."

"They're looking for you? What- why?" Zelda stood up from her bed and looked at me, concerned. The girl just met me and she was already worried about my well-being.

"Don't know. Lorule is probably out to kill me now." I sighed, looking down at the ground. "Listen, I don't know you at all, so don't think this is 'coming from the heart,' or whatever," I said with air quotes. She nodded, urging me to finish my thought. "If they're after me, stay away. We don't want them to get two prodigies." I worded it like I was more worried about Lorule's success than Zelda being safe. But that wasn't true.

Zelda nodded, her expression grim and sorrowful. I watched her walk away toward the bathroom, her nightgown revealing her long, pale legs.

Stop staring.

I shook off my thoughts as Zelda entered the bathroom to change, and I did the same out in the room. Instead of my thin white night shirt and brown shorts, I adorned my usual attire, but I didn't get the chance to throw on my clothes from the waist up before Zelda came back out.

She jumped upon seeing me shirtless, blushing furiously. "S-sorry! I- I didn't k-know…" when her words started malfunctioning, she cut herself off and walked to retrieve her forgotten hair bands.

When Zelda shut the door with one last awkward apology, I chuckled slightly to myself. I continued to throw on my white undershirt, bulletproof vest, dark green tunic, and gauntlets.

When Zelda returned from the bathroom minutes later, I offered to cook her some breakfast. She accepted, and I began to work on scrambling some cucco eggs.

"By the way, Link…" Zelda said from the counter, sitting on the stool and leaning her elbow on the granite surface, "…I'm sorry."

I nodded, not looking up from the pan. After a short while I replied, "…Me too."

"So… we're okay?" she asked, resting her chin on her hand.

"Yeah," I said, meeting her eyes, "we're okay." When the eggs were done, I took off two plates and scraped them onto the plates with a spatula. Then I gave Zelda her serving of eggs with a fork, and I made sure to give her and myself a glass of Lon Lon milk. I sat down on the stool next to her, which she was subtly surprised about. She eyed me uneasily, but then appeared nonchalant.

"Do you like working for the HBI?" Zelda asked after a brief moment of silence.

"I love my job, but I just hate-" I cut myself off before finishing my thought. I didn't trust Zelda yet; she could turn me in for saying things I was about to say.

"Link?" She touched my arm, causing me too flinch slightly. "You just hate what?"

I sighed, looking back down at my half-eaten eggs. "I hate working for Ganondorf," I said in a low whisper, as if eavesdroppers were here.

Zelda's eyebrows raised. "Why?"

"You kidding? You know the Ordonia Province? It's been infected with the plague for years on end. And does Ganon give a damn about it? No." I took a bite of my eggs, trying to cool myself down. "And you know what he's forcing us to do?"

Zelda intertwined her fingers in mine, and I struggled to meet her eyes. "What?" she asked sweetly.

I finally met her sky-blue eyes, saying quietly, "Invade the village… Ganon says that the Ordonians are stealing plague meds from the upper classes."

"Okay, Link. I know we don't know each other very well at all, but we can agree on one thing." She put her other hand to mine, smiling warmly. "I hate Ganon too."

"What has he done to you?"

"Killed my parents, I'm pretty sure."

"What!?" I exclaimed, though the news should not have surprised me.

Zelda sighed, looking down at her cleared plate. "I'll explain things to you eventually…" she said, choking up a bit. "…It's just not the right time."

I nodded, though I hated to be left hanging like that. I sure hoped I'd fine out eventually.

* * *

><p>1207 HOURS.<p>

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

"Gee, Link, you're pretty late today, aren't you?" said Malon with a cute wink.

Malon had been my friend since I first came to the agency two years ago, and I thought she had a crush on me. She, Fledge, and Pipit had been the first three prodigies all at age eleven, and had to be trained by experts to use things like guns, knives, and state-of-the-art technology. Then came Groose at age thirteen, who was probably too dumb to realize that perfect scorers get to be accepted into the HBI. So one day, as Malon told me, Groose walked up to a soldier guarding the gate to the Lanayru Province, and showed him his right arm. Then he asked the soldier, who was standing there in disbelief, "Is this a good score?"

"Yeah," I replied to Malon, "I slept in a few extra hours." After Zelda had left for the agency this morning, I did just that: sleep. It was a bit of a habit of mine.

"It's so unfair," Groose muttered. "We all show up here on time, and then the slimy Ordonian shows up two hours late…"

"Shut up, Groose!" snapped Pipit. "Sure, Link does need to show up on time, but that gives you no right to say things like that to him! Shame on you."

Groose just scoffed at the yellow-clad boy. "And who are you to say things like that to me?"

"A guy who can kick your ass."

That shut Groose up.

"…Anyway," Fledge muttered, "Link, we're temporarily suspending the Ordonia case for the day."

"Well, that's good…" I said under my breath. This time more audibly, I asked, "What are we doing today, then?"

Fledge offered me a slight grin, and he looked at Pipit. Pipit said with a determined smile, "We've found the next prodigy."

* * *

><p>1420 HOURS.<p>

SHEIKAH SETTLEMENT, SNOWPEAK PROVINCE.

29 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Though we were at the bottom of the icy mountain, the province was still bitterly cold. We agents had to wear black jumpsuits that covered virtually every part of our bodies save our eyes, which were masked by our black sunglasses. Despite my rather warm attire, I was shivering cold.

"Hey!" I called out to Pipit, my voice slightly muffled by both the jumpsuit and wind. He looked my way. "Why are all of us are here to find the last prodigy?"

Typically, only one agent rode up to the province on horseback to find the next genius, but oddly enough all of us were at Snowpeak. For me, it was Pipit riding up to Ordon Village. For Groose, Malon had ridden her horse named Epona up to Gerudo Valley.

"They say that Snowpeak is on Lorule's side!" Pipit hollered back. "This mountain is home to the Sheikah tribe, who were once loyal to the late King Daphnes!"

Zelda, who stood next to me on the snowy ground, tensed up subtly at Pipit's comment. I was the only one who noticed it, but I didn't bother to question.

"The Sheikah are dangerous to Hyrule, Ganon said," Pipit continued. "Though they never openly opposed of him, rumor has it that some of them slip away to the rebellion provinces unnoticed! We must practice great caution while searching for the next agent!"

We all nodded. Though Pipit had no authority over any of us, we all looked up to him as a natural leader. Even Groose did.

We trudged along through the snow, toward the ramshackle mansion built directly at the button of the mountain. It was built from stone bricks, but the outside was poorly maintained. The scarce plant life that grew in this region was located on the sides of the large home, which were ivy and moss. Surrounding the mansion were better-built longhouses, home to the lesser Sheikah.

Pipit knocked on the door rather forcefully, at which Malon winced in preparation for what was to come. The door swung open after a brief moment, and standing inside was the tribe's leader, Impa. She swung the long strand of white hair over her shoulder, her red eyes locked with Pipit's glasses. "HBI agents, hmm?" she said in a rather masculine voice. "Please leave. We do not want your business here."

"In afraid you can't make us leave, ma'am," said Groose.

Impa's fiery eyes narrowed at Groose and she snarled. Her skin was somewhat tan, despite the region she lived in. Under her left eye was a teardrop painted in red paint, as well as three triangles painted above her eye and below her brow. Located at her waist were various daggers, and even a flintlock pistol. I didn't know how the Sheikah hot ahold of advanced weaponry. (Though "advanced" weaponry these days were blasters, which shot blue beams that you could program to either kill or stun.)

"We have come for your prodigy," Pipit said, taking a step forward.

In defense, Impa put her hand to the daggers at her waist. "I'd advise you to step back."

Pipit grumbled. He was a man of business; when it came to serving Ganondorf he'd throw his own opinion away and immediately follow orders. A good soldier; not a very good man. "This action is required by King Ganondorf himself, ma'am. Now I'm going to ask you one more time…" Pipit withdrew his black blaster, but didn't point it at her. "Where is your prodigy?"

I saw Impa's eyes briefly and subtly drift behind us, and she seemed to be viewing a moving figure. I whipped my head around to see a fleeing boy our age, carrying a backpack filled with Sheikah weaponry. "Hey!" I yelled. I began chasing the boy, with my companions following close behind. Impa had latched onto Groose's arm, digging into his flesh with her red nails. Groose wailed in pain, but slapped Impa's hand away and began to follow us.

The boy was very quick, but his stuffed backpack weighed him down. When I got close enough I lunged forward, grabbing onto his ankles with my hands. We both fell to the icy ground, and I slammed my knee into an icy stone on the ground. I grimaced in pain, but held on to the struggling Sheikah boy.

"Let me go!" he yelled in rage. "I'm not working for your goddess-damned agency!"

"You don't have a choice!" Pipit said when he caught up to us. "Link, cuff him."

I did. His wrists were restrained behind his back, just below his tied-back blonde braid. The boy thrashed while trying to break free. "Rot in hell!" he snapped, spitting on Pipit's boot.

"Things will only get easier if you cooperate," I whispered in his ear. The boy grumbled, glaring furiously at Pipit.

"We're going to need some information," he said. He pulled out a clipboard from a briefcase that Fledge had been carrying. "Let's start with an easy question. Name?" The boy maintained his glare.

"Sheik."

* * *

><p><strong>By the way, Impa's appearance is based on her Hyrule Warriors look. Sheik is based off of his (yes, he's a dude in this story; no gender swapping at the end) Ocarina of Time look.<strong>

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	3. The Evil King

**Please check out my Skyward Sword sequel story, "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule" if you haven't already. Thanks!**

**So here's chapter three of Shadow Agent. Again, thanks for checking it out.**

**Please note that Ganondorf in this story has his Hyrule Warriors appearance.**

**Song suggestions: Ganondorf scene, Sheik scene- "The King of Light and Shadow" / Ordonia Province scene- "Forest Temple" / Misc.- "Guilty Feeling". (1, 2- Twilight Princess OST, 3- Hyrule Warriors OST)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: The Evil King<strong>

1630 HOURS.

GANON'S COURT, HYRULE CASTLE.

75 DEGREES INSIDE.

Malon, Fledge, Zelda, and I stood beside the entrance to the throne room, awaiting the arrival of the remaining prodigies. King Ganondorf sat on his magnificent throne, impatiently sighing. "When will your friends bring that little rat in!?" he demanded, slamming his gauntlet-covered fists on the armrests.

Malon replied timidly, "…I believe I heard them outside the doors, Your Highness."

Ganon's throne room was more like a hall; from the large double doors to the throne was a long red carpet, and on either side torches stood, illuminating the room in an orangey glow. The lack of technology in the room gave off a medieval vibe. Perhaps he preferred it that way. His throne was made of pure gold and silver, with red cushioning on the seat, armrests, and backrest.

Funny how Ganondorf could pay for such expensive things, yet he couldn't provide plague medications for the poor provinces.

King Ganondorf's appearance was also medieval-looking. He wore thick, regal armor that kings of yore would wear, maybe to look like his ancestors. His skin tone was a mixture of smoky gray and faint green, which contrasted greatly with his thick mane of fiery red hair that hung below his shoulder blades. His red eyebrows were thick, formed into a permanent scowl above his yellow eyes, and they connected to a short beard stopping just below his chin.

They say that Ganon came from Gerudo Valley in the Lanayru Province, like Groose, but his skin tone said otherwise to me. I think he came out of a black hole from the dark world. But that's just my opinion.

Two Hylian guards stood on both sides of the throne with beam rifles at their hips. They wore bulletproof vests embellished with the Great Sword symbol and long cargo pants, as well as black boots.

The double doors swung open, causing the four of us to jump out of the way. In came Pipit and Groose, dragging Sheik by his arms into the king's court, followed by two more Hylian guards. Pipit and Groose shoved the boy to his knees on the red carpet, to which he snarled furiously.

Sheik's arms were restrained behind his back in handcuffs, and he glared furiously at Ganondorf. Though he was wise enough not to rise to his feet.

"The rat has arrived," Ganon grumbled, tapping his fingers on the throne as if he were bored.

Sheik snarled again, remaining on his knees. "Do not call me a rat!"

Ganondorf chuckled. Then he stood up from his throne, rising to his full height. He stood at seven feet tall; quite intimidating, I'd say. He took slow, heavy steps to the boy on the ground. "I like your style, boy."

Two more guards came in, dragging a similarly-restrained Impa into the throne room. The guards shoved her to the ground, where she fell flat on her face with a growl.

"Impa!" Sheik yelled, attempting to rise to his feet to go to her.

Ganon slammed Sheik's shoulder downward, keeping him from moving. "I have not given you permission to rise."

"I don't need your permission, you monster!" he retorted, grimacing at the pain in his shoulder. "Now let Impa go!"

Ganondorf growled and backhanded Sheik's face, forcing him to fall on his back. "Silence, boy! I've heard enough out of you!" Sheik growled, but the obvious pained look on his face was forcing him to shut his mouth. "Your tribe is part of the rebellion," Ganon growled. "So I think I'll keep your precious leader."

Sheik growled furiously, his red eyes stabbing into Ganondorf's.

"You! Yellow boy!" Ganondorf said, pointing to Pipit. "And green boy!" He pointed to me. "I offer you my obligatory congratulations for capturing the last prodigy. When he calms down from his state of rage, he will join you in the agency."

I knew Groose, Fledge, and Malon (especially Groose) were rather offended for not being recognized for helping this mission, but they bit their tongues from interjecting. Zelda just didn't seem to care; instead her eyes kept darting from Sheik to Impa, her expression sad.

"Yes, Your Highness," Pipit said with a nod. I didn't respond to the king. Instead I stared at Zelda, who looked very nervous the whole time being in Ganon's castle. Maybe it was because she thought the king killed her parents.

Ganondorf looked where I was looking, directly at Zelda. He chuckled maliciously. "And who might you be, blonde girl? I don't believe we've met."

Zelda's eyes darted upward to the large man. "…My name is Zelda," she said timidly.

"So you're Castle Town's elusive prodigy that none of my soldiers could catch." He shot an accusative look to the Hylian guards in the room. Zelda nodded, but she couldn't find words. "I sure hope the other prodigies talked some sense into you," Ganon continued. "Avoiding the law is punishable by death, you know." Zelda bit her bottom lip. "But we shall not kill you. We require your talents for the war against the Lorule Provinces."

Impa propped herself up on her arms, glaring furiously at the Evil King. He looked down at her with malice. "We do not work for Lorule, I say with all honesty. But we warn you: Lorule will prevail. And you…" Impa coughed up a small amount of blood. "…You will die!"

All it took was a snap of Ganondorf's fingers, and two Hylian guards silenced Impa by striking her struggling body with the backs of their rifles.

They dragged her out of the room and into the depths of the castle.

* * *

><p>1900 HOURS.<p>

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

Ganondorf ordered Zant to utilize the empty basement as a cell, where Sheik would reside until he swore allegiance to the king. Sheik refused, of course, so he remained in the basement of Zantland.

Sheik's room consisted of a bed, a sink, a toilet, two chairs, and a table. It was a square room at fifteen feet by fifteen feet. The elevator traveled down to the basement as well, so to prevent escape the elevator and Sheik's room were separated by a thick, steel wall, with another door leading into the cell.

I was required to travel down to Sheik's cell for questioning, according to Pipit. So I walked to the closed elevator while carrying a black briefcase, typing in the code "1986" on the keypad. Letters displayed, "ACCESS GRANTED," and the doors slid open. I walked inside, pushing the bottom button which read "B."

It took a minute to travel down from the top floor of the twenty-three story skyscraper to the underground floor, the once-vacant basement. The only floor accessible to customers was the first floor, and the password-required elevator helped enforce that rule. The remaining twenty-two (aboveground) floors were made up of cubicles, where technicians and salesmen worked the corporation, to help with things like shipping and taxes. Zant himself resided in the twenty-second floor, where he supervised his workers.

The elevator doors slid back open, and I walked out into the dark basement. I walked to the cell door, where I put my right hand up to the green handprint scanner on the door. A thin yellow line of pixels flew up, then back down, reading my palm. I released my hand when I saw words appear on the screen. "CUE CAMERAS?" it said, with two empty boxes with words "YES" and "NO" next to them. I touched the box that read, "NO."

And with that, the door unlocked, and I twisted the handle and entered the cell. Sheik sat on a chair next to a table, and across from him sat another chair. I sat in the vacant one, folding my hands on the table out in front of me. "Good afternoon, Sheik," I said.

His red eyes were locked with the table, and he refused to speak.

"I'm required to ask you some questions…" I said, pulling out a clipboard from the briefcase. I skimmed over the questions, and scoffed. "Now some of these are no-brainers. Like this one: 'Are you loyal to King Ganondorf?' How pathetic…" I didn't manage to get Sheik's attention. "I know that you aren't, so I'll just check the box that says no."

His eyes caught mine, but he didn't protest. I checked his expression for any sign of irritation or sorrow, but damn, this kid was a rock.

"Okay, next question…" I sighed impatiently. "Who are you loyal to?"

Sheik's eyes were still locked with mine, and he began tapping his fingers on the table.

"Lorule?" I asked. He still didn't respond. "The late King Daphnes?" Sheik blew air out of his nose in a meager laugh, his eyes returning to the table. I sighed, getting bored. "Do you work alone?"

Sheik looked at me again. "I don't do 'work'," he whispered forcefully. "I stayed with my tribe."

I tapped my pen against the clipboard, smirking subtly. "Okay, loyal to Impa…"

"No shit," he muttered. "You're quite the detective."

I smirked again. "Just remember who's being imprisoned…"

"It ain't me," he said sternly. "I'm not working for Ganon."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "To make things easier on ourselves, I think we need to be clear on one thing." I pushed my pointer finger onto the table, leaning forward toward Sheik. "You get to make a decision. You get to live and work for the king, or you die. Understand?"

Sheik laughed slyly. "How intimidating… You can't kill me, green guy. You need me."

I nodded. "You're right. We can't kill you." I sighed, but after a brief moment my smirk returned. "But we can kill Impa."

Sheik snarled and lunged forward, arms outstretched in attempt to choke me. I quickly pushed a button on my belt, summoning a temporary blue force field. Sheik bounced off, hissing at his burned hands. The force field faded, and I stood up from my seat, looking down at the boy.

"I believe I've struck a nerve," I said. "Answer all the next one's questions, or you won't hear from Impa again."

I exited the cell, sealing the door shut.

* * *

><p>2020 HOURS.<p>

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

Zelda sat cross-legged on her bed, looking at the screen of her FiPhone 7 while I stood in the kitchen, making dinner.

"How are you liking your first few days?" I asked her from across the apartment.

"Well…" She dropped her cell phone on the nightstand and sighed. "I hate it."

I looked her way, a little shocked. "Really?"

Zelda nodded. "Why are you so surprised, anyway? I thought you hate your job."

I shook my head. "No. I hate Ganondorf."

She nodded, looking down. "Oh…"

"Why do you hate the HBI?" I asked, returning some of my attention to the nearly-burning grilled cucco. I had bought it at the supermarket downtown after I left the headquarters.

"Well, of course, we're working for Ganondorf, but also because… you guys are monsters!" she exclaimed.

"What!?"

"You're all so blind! Especially Pipit! The things Ganon makes you do are horrible…" Zelda shuddered.

I thought for a moment. Every child was forced to take an exam at age eleven. If they passed, they'd be enlisted in the army. If they got a perfect score, they'd be ripped away from their homes and sent to an agency to do Ganon's dirty work while he sat on his throne.

We stole Sheik from his tribe. He was handled horribly by the soldiers; I could see the bruises and cuts on his skin when I was down in his cell. We stole Impa. The tribe back at Snowpeak was probably suffering without her. I followed Ganondorf's orders, threatening Sheik that we'd kill Impa.

I felt… evil. That wasn't me. I was supposed to be the legendary hero's descendant. The hero brought light to the world, not darkness. He wielded the blade of evil's bane, for goddesses' sake.

But I followed Ganondorf's orders. Pipit followed Ganondorf's orders. Groose, Malon, and Fledge all followed his orders.

I wasn't the evil one. Ganon was the evil king.

"It's just business," I said quietly. I didn't want her to know I had a change of heart. No, I still didn't trust her.

"Just business?" Zelda asked, standing up. She walked closer to me, up to the counter. "You're doing all of this for the money?"

I hesitated, but nodded. "Yes," I lied. I wasn't only doing it for the money. I was trying to end the plague and poverty in the poor provinces, namely Ordonia, my old home. But if Ganon found that out, I'd be in trouble. He didn't want equality, or peace, or anything good. He only wanted power.

Zelda sighed. "…I thought you were better than that." She looked down at the granite counter top.

"Well there's a lot that you don't know about me," I murmured flatly.

"Is it because you grew up in the Ordonia Province?" she asked. "All your life, you were poor, so now all you want is money?" I didn't answer. "I don't think that's it."

I looked questionably at her. "What?

"I don't think you're in it for the money. I don't know you, but I can tell you have morals… You don't just want the rupees."

I smiled and looked at her, but didn't confirm nor deny it. I handed her the plate of grilled cucco, as well as a glass of water. I set my plate next to hers, and I sat down next to her.

"So you're just going to leave me guessing?" Zelda said. I laughed quietly and began to eat my meal. She shook her head and began eating too.

"Someday I'm going to figure you out," she said.

* * *

><p>1030 HOURS.<p>

ORDON VILLAGE, ORDONIA PROVINCE.

59 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

We drove along the dirt path in a durable truck built specifically for missions. The truck had bulletproof windows and an impenetrable outer shell, painted camouflage. The few times trucks like this drove up to our village, I made sure to avoid them and climb back into my tree house. When those trucks drove up, everyone knew to head inside and lock their doors.

Now I was in one if those trucks, bringing fear to my own village. I wrapped a black bandana over my mouth and nose to prevent contracting the plague. If I did, I'd have to pay a thousand rupees for a medication. Not much to me nowadays, with a salary like mine, but to the Ordon villagers, a fortune.

We came to a halt in the middle of the dirt path. The driver, a simple Hylian soldier, said, "Alright, get a move on. I'll be here."

Zelda and I were the only ones going on the mission, and we sat in the back seat with a beam rifle each. She gave me a reassuring smile and opened the door, exiting the truck. I did the same.

The morning air was brisk. Though refreshing, it probably carried the plague. I walked with Zelda, our rifles at our hips. While we walked, I noticed the people peeking at us behind their windows, cowering when I looked their way. It didn't look like they recognized me with my dark HBI shades.

We kept walking around the dirt path, the ramshackle shelters bordering it on either side, twenty feet apart from each other across the road. Eventually we got to our destination, the Ordon hospital, a much bigger building. It stood about a mile away from my old house, which I made sure of to lower my chances of contracting the plague.

When Zelda and I got to the double doors of the hospital, they swung open immediately, nearly smacking me in the face. I took a step back, then viewed the person in the doorway. It was a heavyset man with a white tank. I recognized him as Ilia's father.

"Mayor Bo," I said without thinking.

He cocked his head. "How do you know my name, officer?"

"I, uh…" I didn't want anyone recognizing me because now, I was pretty sure they hated me for abandoning them. So I decided to change the subject. "We're not officers." I showed him my HBI badge attached to my dark green tunic. "We're HBI agents."

He squinted his eyes at me, then said, "How may I help you…?"

I looked at Zelda. She wasn't wearing her HBI sunglasses. She looked at me, then back at Mayor Bo. Zelda obviously didn't want to speak. "Please step out of the way so we can retrieve the plague medications," I said firmly.

Mayor Bo sighed. "We don't have any here. Apologies."

I shook my head. "Lying will only make this harder. Now please," I outstretched a hand, "return the plague medications."

He turned his head and looked behind him at the patients in the hospital, then back at me. "Again, I'm sorry-"

I pushed my way through the door, motioning for Zelda to stay put outside. Mayor Bo followed, barking, "I order you to leave! You will catch the plague if not!"

"Already been vaccinated," I muttered, fumbling through a drawer of pill bottles. Finally I came across a box obscured by a red cloth in the back of the drawer, and I withdrew the box.

"Sir, please don't do this!" Bo pleaded. "We need it more than you rich folk…"

I withdrew my sunglasses, revealing my face to Mayor Bo. "Rich folk?" I repeated.

He stood glued to the floor, eyes and mouth wide open. "…Link," he whispered.

I unbuttoned my tunic and stretched half of it out, revealing ten more vials of plague meds I had been hiding. "These here are cures," I explained. I took them out and gave them to Mayor Bo. "The ones you had were just treatments." I took the box of plague meds and walked to the door. Bo stood there, still dumbfounded, following me with his eyes. Putting my shades back over my eyes, I said firmly, "I was never here. Understand?" He nodded.

I exited the hospital and joined Zelda, who stood waiting for me. I showed her the box of vials and nodded. She nodded in reply, and we left from my old home in the military truck.

* * *

><p>2250 HOURS.<p>

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

Nearing eleven o'clock at night, I yawned and leaned back into my office chair. Groose, Malon, and Fledge had already left, leaving behind just me, Pipit, and Zelda. Zelda's desk was right next to mine by the east window, and Pipit's was all the way across the room in the west. We were all working on a new case ordered by Ganon, and it was to gather intel on the five undercover spies sent to the Lorule Provinces.

"They're all dead," Pipit said abruptly.

"What?" Zelda and I exclaimed, walking over to Pipit's desk. On his laptop showed blinking red dots in the Termina Province.

"Their tracking devices haven't moved since this morning. Their heart monitors haven't detected a beat since then, either." He covered his face in his hands and sighed. "Dammit."

Zelda and I shared a surprised look, but didn't speak.

"Well, I'm gonna call it a night, you two," Pipit said. "There's no point continuing this case tonight, so might as well get some shut eye."

"Okay. Bye, Pipit," I said.

Zelda watched as I returned to my desk, groaning at the messy blob of useless paperwork. She giggled subtly, returning to her desk as well. She sat in the chair and watched me attempt to organize my stuff. "What are you doing?" I asked. "You don't have to stay, you know."

Zelda nodded. "I know, I just… don't want to walk home alone."

I snorted. "It's a block away."

"I know, I know…" Zelda laughed quietly. "I've lived in Castle Town my whole life, but it's still scary to me. I don't know why."

"Because the war, maybe," I said. "You never know who to trust."

Zelda nodded, looking at the ground. "I need people to trust."

"Malon's a good person. So is Fledge. You can trust them." I closed out of all the tabs I had on my laptop and shut it.

"…Can I trust you?" she asked, biting her bottom lip.

I sighed. "…I'm going to be honest with you. You probably shouldn't. If you associate yourself with me then we both could get in trouble for my actions."

"Your actions?"

"I haven't done anything too bad… yet," I said, shaking my head.

Zelda sighed. "You're too difficult." She stood up, grabbed my hand, and said with a cute smile, "Come on, let's go home. You can clean later."

* * *

><p><strong>I'm easing in to the romance for this story. I want to let Zelda have some time to figure out Link's mysterious character before I delve into the ZeLink.<strong>

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	4. Tyranny

**If you haven't yet, check out my Skyward Sword sequel story, "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule". Thanks!  
><strong>

**Thank you all for checking out this story. And in a response to a reviewer (GamerGeo), this story might have somewhere in between 20 to 35 chapters. I will try to continue this nearly as much as, or more than, Birth of Hyrule (which is 27 chapters).**

**Also, please note that I only do "time logs" (Ex. 2300 HOURS, etc.) when the time is present. This chapter will have a backstory, so I will not have "time logs" during backstories.**

**Song suggestions: Action- "Levias Battle" (SS OST) / Backstory- "Hidden Village" (TP OST) / Drama- "Sacred Grove" (TP OST) / Casual, Misc. "Knight Academy Theme" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: Tyranny<strong>

1200 HOURS.

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

I hadn't told anyone about giving Mayor Bo the plague cures. It had only been ten vials, sure, but that was enough to cure thirty victims. A single vial costed a small fortune to purchase.

Good thing I stole them.

I had gone to the market, where people set up their own shops into tents and sell their merchandise. At the very end of the street, right next to Zantland, stood a tent guarded by soldiers. Painted on top of the white tent was a red plus symbol, and I saw several vials of green plague cures on the table. The soldiers weren't guarding the sidewalk, just the street.

So, I pulled out my FiPhone 7, which had been decked out with hacking ability and ultra-advanced technological apps, and I clicked on the HBI app. Yes, the HBI even had an app. It gave its agents amazing abilities, such as changing physical appearances for about two minutes. The technology was still new, so no one could lengthen the duration of those abilities.

I tapped the screen to change my appearance, and immediately I donned a trenchcoat with black pants and boots, with a black hat covering my new face. A faint ticking sound rang inside my head, ticking by the second. At one hundred and twenty of those ticks, I'd be back to normal. I counted them off while slowly walking to the tent, and I easily swiped ten vials unnoticed.

I remembered those events until someone knocked on my apartment door. I stood up from my bed and walked to the door. After it was opened, I saw Pipit standing in the doorway. "Hey, Link."

"Hey," I said uneasily. "What brings you here?"

"Don't know, really. I guess I'm just bored."

I mentally sighed in relief. We were given Saturdays off, and Pipit often didn't know how to relax. "Okay, well come on in," I said.

"Thanks." I shut the door when Pipit was inside. "Where's Zelda?" he asked, looking around the room.

"Is she why you came here?" I asked. Pipit shook his head. "Okay, well she and Malon are out today. Not sure where, but Malon wants to get to know her."

Pipit nodded, looking out the window. Rain pelted the roof and the streets below, and thunder boomed loudly. "A storm… That means less soldiers on the streets. More crime," he said ominously.

"You really think criminals will be out in this dreadful storm?"

Pipit sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry… It's just that I have trouble relaxing. I'm desperate for action, you know?"

I laughed and walked to the fridge, saying, "You want anything to drink?"

"Uh, a Goronade, please. Thank you."

I tossed him a red Goronade, and I took one too. We sat on the stools by the counter. "So," I began, "any progress on Sheik?"

"Not at all," Pipit said. "He answered most of my questions, but he's still a stubborn little bastard."

I nodded, taking a sip of my drink. "Can't really blame him, though. I mean, Ganondorf took Impa away."

Pipit sighed, tapping the counter with his fingers. "I guess I kinda understand… I know what it's like to be ripped away from your home."

"We all do."

Pipit looked questionably at me. "I know it was _the_ most awful place to live, but… do you ever miss Ordon Village?"

"…Yeah," I said, taking another swig of Goronade. "What about you? Do you miss living in Eldin?"

"All the time," he said. "But mostly because of one person…"

"Who?"

Pipit smiled. "Her name was Karane… She was the most perfect girl out there." His smile dropped, and he sighed. "…But then I left."

I patted his shoulder. "I'm sorry, man. Maybe you'll see her again."

He shook his head. "Doubt it…" Then he shook off his negativity and put on a forced smile. "What about you, Link? Did you have any girls back home?"

I chuckled uneasily. "Well, there was this one girl named Ilia who had a huge crush on me, but I didn't feel the same way. Then she caught the plague, so…" I shrugged.

"Any girls you like here in Castle Town?"

I shook my head.

Pipit raised his eyebrows accusingly at me. "Oh, come on. You're lying."

"No, I'm not lying, Pipit." I took a third drink of Goronade.

"I think I know."

I cocked my head questionably at him.

He chuckled. "It's Malon, isn't it?"

"What!? No!" I exclaimed, nearly losing my drink.

Pipit laughed again. "I know it isn't Malon! I was just trying to get a reaction out of you. Besides," he said, "I can tell she's in your friend zone."

I nodded. "Right."

"So… it's the blonde girl! Zelda!"

"No, Pipit." I rolled my eyes.

"Really? She seems to think highly of you," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I overheard her talking to Malon about how you are the only guy here who has good intentions." He scoffed. "Crazy, right? What about me?"

"Is that all?"

"No, she also said that your beliefs are admirable… I'm not sure what she meant by that."

So she admired my morals… She thought I was the only good guy in the agency… But Zelda barely knew me. I scratched my chin and looked down at the counter. "…Anything else?"

"No… Why? You want to know what she thinks about you, huh?" Pipit winked childishly at me.

I shook my head, almost too quickly. "No, I… really don't care."

Pipit chuckled and clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Of course you don't." He winked again, to which I rolled my eyes. "But, hey, maybe someday you two will-"

Thunder boomed, interrupting Pipit's speech. A flash of lightning illuminated my apartment. The rain began pelting harder against the roof. "The storm's really coming down!" I yelled to Pipit.

He nodded. Just then, a blue hologram appeared behind me, and I turned to see the large holographic Zant in my apartment. The Twili shook nervously, but his mask covered his expression.

"What's wrong, Zant?" I asked uneasily. Zant never really contacted us, so I knew something had gone awry.

"Agent Link! I cannot see you right now, nor Agent Pipit!" His voice boomed, drowning out the sounds of the storm. "The little rat has escaped and incapacitated several soldiers in his path." He stomped his holographic feet on the ground. "He's making his way south, but the weather conditions forced our soldiers to retreat. I need you and the other agents to go and find him, or King Ganondorf will surely kill me!"

"We're on it!" Pipit said with a salute.

"Bring that little rat back to his cell!" And with that, the hologram disappeared.

* * *

><p>1230 HOURS.<p>

MAIN STREET, CASTLE TOWN.

48 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

The rain poured down from the dully-colored clouds above, soaking into my green tunic and adding extra weight.

We stood at the intersection between Main Street, which ran north to south, and Argorok Avenue, which ran east to west. The six of us stood with our eyes peeled, searching in all directions for Sheik.

"Let's all just split up," Malon said. "The longer we stand around here the further away Sheik will get."

"Okay," said Pipit. "Two of you go south; Zant said he was heading that way. Probably to Lorule."

"I'll do it," I said, raising a hand.

"Me too," Zelda said. I looked questionably at her but she kept her gaze on Pipit.

"Malon, Fledge, you two go north. He may be heading back to Snowpeak. Groose, head west. I'll head east."

We all nodded and departed in different directions. If Sheik was smart, he wouldn't stick to Main Street. It was a clear, open street that ran for two miles downhill. From the top of the hill where we were standing, he'd be easily spotted. So Zelda and I made sure to check the alleys in between the buildings lining Main Street. Our blasters were set to stun, not kill.

Without wearing her shades, Zelda wore a black jumpsuit with a standard tactical belt, straying from her usual style, the white dress. A _tight_ black jumpsuit. I tried not to look anywhere but the streets and alleys while she was jogging in front of me. My green tunic was perfect for missions; it had a bulletproof vest underneath, a tactical belt with advanced Hylian technology and gadgets, such as a temporary force field and walkie talkie attached to the shoulder.

Speaking of which, my walkie talkie buzzed. "Guys!" yelled Groose's voice. "I'm picking up a signal! Sheik has a Hylian blaster!"

Hylian blasters could detect the fingerprints that touched them and send a tracking signal to soldiers equipped with holographic maps. The maps could be activated at any time with the push of a button on our tactical belts.

"Sheik's heading south, but he's not on the streets!"

"Above the streets!?" I repeated to Zelda.

"Well, at least we're heading in the right direction."

I tapped a blue button on my belt, opening up a holographic map on the insides of my sunglasses. My green dot blinked, and I ordered the map, "Show me Sheik." A blue dot appeared several hundred feet south of where we were, and it was located in the middle of the squares that marked the Castle Town buildings. "Withdraw." The map disappeared. A light bulb went off in my head. "He's traveling by rooftop!" I exclaimed to Zelda. I tapped my shoulder and activated the walkie talkie, telling the other agents, "We're in pursuit."

Zelda looked over to an average-sized building and pointed. "Let's climb up that one," she said.

"Why climb when you can do this?" I asked with a light laugh. Before she could question me, I wrapped my arm around her waist and tapped the screen of my FiPhone that read, "TELEPORT."

Teleporting had just been invented a year ago, and of course the technology was still new. So, we agents had to wait ten minutes before repeating the action.

Zelda yelped as we reappeared on the rooftop, her eyes wide. On her cheeks was a faint blush, probably from when I "hugged" her. She said with a nervous shake of her head, "Never do that again!"

"Come on!" We dashed southward, leaping across the seven-foot gaps in between the buildings. Every building was nothing in comparison to the skyscraper Zantland, each standing at nearly seventy feet tall, but being atop the roofs instilled a fear factor in the both of us.

Eventually Sheik's figure came into view. When a hundred feet separated us, I pulled out my blaster. He must've heard the beeping sound of it activating because he turned around and looked at me through his turban and mask. In his hand was some sort of instrument, a blue one.

Then he just stopped, and he put the instrument to his mouth. As I got closer I saw that it was an ocarina. He played a mystical tune, and I wasn't able to catch up to him before the Song of Storms released its magic upon the city.

The rain had been bad, the thunder had been loud, and the clouds had been dark. Now the rain pelted harder against the rooftops, the deafening boom of the thunder became louder, and the clouds became a smoky gray, almost black. And then came lightning.

Sheik laughed, remaining on his rooftop. I kept running, leaping off a roof and landing one roof away from my target. Zelda attempted to follow, and when I looked back, she slipped on the puddles forming on the roof as she jumped. She screamed as she only managed to grip the edges of the roof I was on. "Link!" she yelled desperately.

"Zelda! Hold on!" I dashed over to her, ignoring Sheik for the moment. I grabbed Zelda's arms with my own, pulling with all my might. Her upper body slowly dragged upward toward the top of the roof, and after a brief struggle she was lying in safety. "Stay here," I ordered, and I dashed toward the fleeing Sheik.

He was only four rooftops away, and I was much faster. Three rooftops.

Two rooftops.

One.

I lunged forward, tackling Sheik to the surface. We landed hard on the concrete. He growled and rolled over onto his back, swinging his fist and striking me across the cheek. I recoiled, giving him the space to get back up. I wiped off the blood forming at my cheek and pulled out my blaster, aiming for Sheik's chest. He performed a front flip and kicked my gun away. I watched it bounce off the edge of the roof, falling down to the alley for thieves to pick up. I grit my teeth as he got into fighting stance, dropping the blue ocarina to the ground. I mimicked his with mine, which I was taught at orientation at age fifteen.

"You'll be following your gun," he snarled.

He performed a sweep kick at my ankles, to which I hopped over easily. I jammed my heel into the crook of his knee after his spin, to which he wailed painfully. Sheik growled and swung for my face, which I deflected and performed an uppercut. Sheik's head dodged left and he grabbed my arm, twisting it in attempt to break it. I felt my shoulder pop slightly out of socket and I let out an angry growl. I brought my knee up to Sheik's groin, and he cowered low to the ground in agony. I followed up with a knee to his face. Sheik fell hard onto his back, and I finished the fight with a stomp to the ribcage.

He lay there, breathing heavily, clutching his injuries. I cuffed him and he didn't make an attempt to stop me. Then I connected a chain from his ankle to a jutting-out pipe to prevent, though unlikely, attempts at escape.

I tapped my walkie talkie and told my fellow agents, "I've got him. Come here."

I turned around to see Zelda on the same rooftop, her expression sad. I had told her to remain back there, yet here she was. I was expecting sympathy towards Sheik.

But instead she ran up to me and hugged me tightly.

I was startled. I didn't know why I did it, but I wrapped my arms around her too.

* * *

><p>1700 HOURS.<p>

ZANTLAND BASEMENT, CASTLE TOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

Even underground, I could still hear the sound of the rain and thunder. I sat at the table across from Sheik. "Were you heading to Lorule?" I asked, tapping my pen on the clipboard.

He smirked in response.

"The more unanswered questions, the less food Impa will get every day."

Sheik's upper lip quivered as he frowned. "I was."

"Why?"

"Don't know, exactly." His frown dropped to an expressionless stare.

"Who is your tribe loyal to?"

"Impa."

"Other than her."

He tapped his fingers on the table. "No one anymore."

"Were you once loyal to the late King Daphnes?"

"Impa was mostly."

"How so?" I asked, jotting down his answers.

"She was the princess's royal guard."

"Daphnes didn't have a daughter," I argued.

"The queen was eight months pregnant. Then Ganondorf took over, and no one has heard from them since. This all happened years ago, according to Impa." His monotonous voice gave an ominous connotation to the tale, but deep down I knew it was true.

"Why are you, not the tribe, but _you_, so loyal to Impa? It seems like you care the most." That question didn't come from the clipboard. I was curious.

"That's personal." His red eyes fell to his lap. I just waited for him to answer. "…Okay, fine. My parents… died shortly after I was born. I was a stranded orphan left in the middle of the Snowpeak Province, and Impa took me in as he child. She's… my guardian."

"I'm sorry," I said without hesitation. "…Next question, what the hell is up with that ocarina you were using?"

Sheik sneered.

"Where did you get it?"

"I took it," he said bluntly.

"From where?"

"The first floor. It was in a glass case, and no one was guarding it."

That was true. Zant had given everyone the day off because of the storm. "When you played that song," I said, recalling the tune of the Song of Storms in my head, "the storm became worse… Why is that?"

His sneer deepened. "The ocarina is magical. Ever heard of the legend?"

I nodded, the tale of the Hero of Time resurfacing within the depths of my brain. Then my eyes widened slightly, and Sheik managed to take notice, chuckling. "…That's the one," I said quietly.

Sheik nodded. "Even though it slowed you down, magic doesn't help anyone anymore these days."

That was dead true. The only useful things were technology. "How did Zant get ahold of the ocarina?"

"Zant found the ocarina in Hyrule Castle while he was helping Ganondorf conquer Daphnes's kingdom."

"Wait, wait," I said. "Zant didn't fight…" Sheik raised his eyebrows at me. "Or… did he?"

Sheik sighed. "They say ignorance is bliss…" His lips curved into a humored smile. "You could lose your job- or _life__-_- if you knew the whole story."

I remained silent, waiting for a followup statement.

"Luckily, I'm not like the rest of you. I haven't been manipulated by the king. I know the truth. That's the real reason I'm down here in this cell, not because I'm a rebel."

I put the clipboard and pen on the desk to show that I wasn't going to write any of this down. Luckily I had disabled the cameras.

Sheik chuckled. "Get comfortable, green one. This story's a bitch to tell."

* * *

><p>Ganondorf and his two generals, Zant and Ghirahim, flew over the kingdom's magnificent castle just outside of Castle Town. The man yearned for domination every time he laid his eyes on the structure. Inside the helicopter, piloted by General Ghirahim, ten more rogues sat, armed with sniper rifles and machine guns.<p>

_ Ghirahim, a gray-skinned creep from the Eldin Province, was often found verbally abusing the people in his village. Sentenced to a year in prison for death threats, Ghirahim was taken out of his home by police. And then came Ganondorf, a muscular, dark green-skinned Gerudo. He leapt into action and incapacitated the guards, knocking them out before they knew what hit them. Ever since then, Ghirahim became loyal to his savior, Ganondorf._

_Zant was a different story. As previously noted, no one knew how Zant emerged from the Twilight Realm and into the world of light. Well, how was he freed? The answer: Ganondorf._

_As a duo, Ghirahim and Ganondorf managed to avoid the law, traveling the provinces and searching for the ancient relics the incarnations of the great evil had once used. They hoped those relics would help Ganon overthrow the king and take Hyrule as his own. Then one warm day in the Lanayru Province, the two of them stumbled upon Ganondorf's old home, Gerudo Desert. After trekking through the barren wasteland while avoiding any contact with other humans, a large structure came into view: Arbiter's Grounds. A legend once told of the portal to the Twilight Realm lived at the very top of that tower. But when they got there, the Mirror of Twilight had been shattered to pieces. But at the very moment Ganondorf picked up a shard of the mirror, it glowed brightly. As if sensing the darkness within the man, every shard formed together into the Mirror of Twilight. Suddenly, a figure popped out of the portal. Zant, a tall Twili wearing a black robe with intricate green patterns embellishing it, stood up suddenly. Zant also wore a large helmet, which masked his entire face and pointed up at the top. The Twili laughed maniacally and destroyed the mirror with his bare arms._

_"Now I'll never have to go back!" he yelled. Ever since being freed from the Twilight Realm, Zant became loyal to Ganondorf as well._

Back then the Lorule Provinces didn't even exist; there was no need for a rebellion under Daphnes's rule. There was no plague; anyone who even got sick was given proper care. But none of that mattered to Ganon.

It wasn't that he wanted to change the king's principles of ruling, though Ganon disagreed with most. The evil man didn't want safety for the citizens, he didn't want equality among them. Nay, Ganondorf simply wanted power.

The helicopter swerved left as a police drone took flight from a tower at the castle. General Ghirahim attempted to fly behind one of Castle Town's tall buildings to hide from the drone, but the helicopter's lethargy proved no match for the self-piloted vehicle's speed. The drone, a small jet-shaped vehicle equipped with automatic missile defense, scanned the rogues' vehicle for any weaponry. The drone let out a beeping noise as it deployed missiles, heading straight for the unauthorized machine.

Ganondorf, who had been watching from the cockpit, leapt up and opened the door.

"Sir!" Ghirahim protested. "You'll fall!"

Ganondorf didn't listen. Instead he pulled off the machine gun, which was strapped over his shoulder, over the black bulletproof vest. The man took aim for the two missiles heading their way, spraying bullets left and right in a sweeping motion. Onlookers below screamed in terror as the missiles exploded in midair.

Triumphantly, Ganon turned back to Ghirahim with a smirk. "Sir!" Ghirahim yelled again. "One more is coming this way!"

Ganondorf grunted angrily and turned back to the opening of the helicopter door. He let out a powerful yell, the sound reverberating against the walls of the city, and jumped. The large missile changed course and began flying straight at Ganon, who was pumping his legs and arms through the air. When the missile got close enough, Ganondorf let out another yell as he swung his leg with amazing force. The missile spun in the air until it straightened out, and it flew backwards and into the drone. As the drone exploded, Ganondorf pulled the string on his vest, releasing the parachute when he was only fifty feet from the streets of Castle Town.

He landed hard feet first on the ground, bending his knees and grunting in minor pain. Ganondorf looked up to see the wreckage of the drone fall to the ground and clank on the sidewalk. The onlookers shook in fear as they stared at the man in the street. Ganondorf sneered and flicked his hand away. The pedestrians departed within two seconds.

General Ghirahim had landed the helicopter safely on a roof of a building and exited the vehicle. He, Zant, and the other ten rogues stood at the edge of the building, then jumped. They pulled their parachuted and floated down to the street unscathed.

"Come on," Ganondorf growled. "We're continuing on foot."

They fought their way through the depths of the castle, easily mowing down the Hylian soldiers, until they arrived at the double doors leading into the throne room. Ganondorf kicked the doors open, and the thirteen rogues filed into the throne room.

But the king and queen were already gone.

* * *

><p>1730 HOURS.<p>

ZANTLAND BASEMENT, CASTLE TOWN.

67 DEGREES INSIDE.

"They were already gone!?" I repeated in disbelief. Sheik nodded. "Then that means… they could still be alive!"

"Them, and their daughter."

I scratched my hair, beginning to get a headache. "Who could that be?"

"No one knows. Probably not even her." He sighed. "But remember, most of the memories of the royal family have vanished. The legends have been forgotten. That's the way Ganondorf wants it; he wants us to have no knowledge of the heroes and how they defeated every single one of Ganondorf's ancestors."

"How do you know all of this?"

"…Impa," he said. "Ganon doesn't know that she was affiliated with the royal family. She escaped just in time."

"Does she know where the king and queen are?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. She speculated, though. Either they fled to the Lorule Provinces, or they're dead."

I sighed. This was a lot to take in. I had one question to answer, but Sheik would not be able to answer it: who should I be working for? I was never a diehard loyalist to King Ganondorf, but if Sheik's story were true, my entire view on the kingdom would change. Except… this wasn't the real kingdom. This was the tyranny of Ganondorf. The real kingdom had King Daphnes at the throne.

…Did I just answer my question?

"Hey, guy," Sheik said, waving a hand in my face. "You've been staring off into space for awhile now."

I snapped out of my thoughts. "So, was this why you were fleeing to Lorule? To find the king?"

Sheik nodded. "It's always been Impa's number one goal. She told me that if I could dedicate my life to anything, returning peace to Hyrule should be it."

A deep memory emerged from my head. Rusl, a man from Ordon Village, had often taken care of me while I was a toddler. And he had said those exact words to me.

"Look, guy," Sheik said, "I know it's impossible, but I need to get out of this place."

I had to be cautious; a plan was already forming in my mind, and letting Sheik in on it could screw the whole plan up. Therefore, I didn't tell him what was on my mind.

_'Me too,'_ I thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, I hoped you liked this chapter. I'm trying to give Ganondorf a ruthlessbadass style. Also, I hope the backstory gave you an idea about this AU's history.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	5. Double Agent

**If** **you**** haven't already, please check out my Skyward Sword sequel story, "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule." Thanks!**

**The chapter title "Double Agent" is an actual term for an agent who works for one side, but in truth is loyal to the other.**

**Song suggestions: Backstory- "Goddess Mission" (SS OST) / Drama- "Sacred Grove" (TP OST) and "Forest Temple" (TP OST).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Double Agent<strong>

2300 HOURS.

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

I was exhausted. After everyone else had left the agency, I delved into the depths of the laptops, trying to find out any information about Lorule that I could.

Specifically, directions to get there.

I had found nothing. So I returned home unsuccessful at eleven o'clock at night, plopping down on my bed. My eyes drifted to the other side of the dark room, at Zelda's bed. Her _empty_ bed.

I swung my knees over the edge of my bed and surveyed the apartment. No sign of her. The room was illuminated slightly by the slow opening of the apartment door, and Zelda crept in. She couldn't see me; it was very dark. She flipped on the light switch and jumped at the sight of me directly in front of her.

"How was your trip?" I asked accusingly.

She put a hand to her reddening face. "Link, you said you wouldn't be home by now…"

"Well here I am."

She didn't respond.

"Where did you go?"

Still no answer.

I sighed, scratching the back of my head. "Listen, Zelda, I am in the middle of something big right now. So I don't-"

"Okay, I'll tell you," she stated softly.

* * *

><p>"You see, class" said Zelda's teacher, Mr. Ingo, "the legends of old are mostly forgotten. Mainly because of the fact that there cannot be another green-clad hero to rise anew and wield the Master Sword." He paused, looking at the class of thirty-eight, located in Castle Town's orphanage, in the outskirts of the bustling city.<p>

A girl raised her hand. "Are you saying that no one can save us from Ganondorf?"

"Egad!" Ingo shrieked in horror. "Save us!? Have you no idea about our ruler, the great King Ganondorf? …He is our savior! He has laid out guidelines for peaceful living among the social classes. The only saving we need is from Lorule's tyranny!"

"But-" the girl protested.

"No!" Ingo yelled. "You shall see me after class! Keep up your blasphemous remarks, and you'll be locked up, I tell you!"

The girl fought back the urge to cry.

Ingo went on. "As I was saying, the legends of old are not to be forgotten. We must take notice how our savoir, King Ganondorf, has eradicated his ancestors' evil pasts… Now he strives for our salvation from the rebellion."

A boy a year older than Zelda raised his hand. "But isn't the legendary hero's descendant working in the HBI?"

Zelda didn't know why, but that intrigued her. She noticed the sleeve of her pink sweater was falling down a bit, revealing her perfect 900 tattoo. Quickly she rolled her sleeve down, obscuring it from view.

It was a little ironic, Zelda had thought, that the hero's descendant was working for the one he was destined to smite. She blew air out of her nose in a quiet, meager laugh. Zelda hoped she wouldn't have to be dragged away from her only childhood home and work for that creep of a king.

"Hmm… That rumor is going around," Ingo said. "I'm not completely sure, but if it be true, it shows how great of a ruler Ganondorf is. Even the hero is on his side."

Maybe he was just planning something…? Zelda honestly didn't know. But what she did know was that someone needed to get rid of Ganondorf.

"Now, everyone please turn to page three hundred and fifty." The class did as Mr. Ingo told. "Please read the page."

Zelda let out a subtle groan as she rested her chin on her propped-up arm, her eyes lazily drifting over the text.

_"For countless generations, a hero clad in green withdrew the Master Sword from its pedestal and slew the incarnation of evil, saving Hyrule for the time being. However, every hundred years or so, the evil, the hero, and the maiden of Hylia's bloodline are reincarnated in an endless cycle, set upon them by the Demon King, Demise. As time wore on, use of magic and swords came to a gradual decline. This led to the birth of technology. And as the evil birthed this generation's King Ganondorf, everyone realized they had been telling the legends wrong. Ganondorf, Hyrule's salvation, had only been attempting to save the kingdom in the centuries before today. The so-called hero viewed this as greed and attempted domination. As time wore on and the need for the Master Sword came to a halt, everyone understood that the true hero was our savoir and great ruler, King Ganondorf."_

Zelda mentally scoffed at the textbook. She was one of the few who knew that Ganondorf was evil, and he hadn't been Hyrule's salvation, but its downfall. However, she remained reticent, or she'd be in prison.

The bell rang, and Zelda was dismissed from class. She exited Mr. Ingo's large classroom and made her way to the stairs, climbing up three flights. After she arrived on the fourth floor, Zelda walked to the fifth door on the left, unlocked it, and went inside her dorm.

Castle Town's orphanage was more like an academy, since it offered more than just hospitality. Each child was given education, but only from one teacher. That was Mr. Ingo, the diehard loyalist to the king. Zelda never liked Ingo. An annoying thing about him was that he never admitted that he was wrong. But what really drove Zelda crazy was Ingo's incredibly large mustache, which made him resemble the green plumber from that video game she couldn't remember the title of.

Zelda sighed, dropped her backpack on the floor, and fell onto her bed in the corner of her small dorm room. It was mid afternoon, but she was exhausted. She shut her eyes, savoring the blissful feeling of rest.

Her FiPhone 7 beeped on the table.

Zelda ignored it, rolling onto her side. She breathed in the warm summer air that flew in through her open window.

It beeped again.

Zelda groaned and sat up, snatching her phone from the end table. She unlocked the screen with a fingerprint scanner and checked the notification. Two new text messages from an unknown number. "Hey!" read the first one. "You're Zelda, right?" read the next.

Zelda groaned and rolled her eyes. It was probably just another guy from the orphanage trying to hit on her. She never liked any boys there, not just because they weren't attractive, but also because they were rude and made offensive remarks to her. Not mean words, but pick up lines. She debated whether or not she wanted to reply to the mystery person, but then she made up her mind.

Her fingers tapped against the screen, typing, "Yes."

She waited a minute for the reply. When a rupee jingle sounded, she read the new message. "It's me, Hilda!"

Hilda… Zelda's eyes widened. She hadn't seen her blue-haired friend in years. Hilda had been in the orphanage as well, but she disappeared one day for an unknown reason. Zelda thought she had gotten into trouble with the law, or died, but apparently she was okay. Zelda quickly tapped a reply. "Where are you?"

The words and letters in the next message came in code. It read:_ .foor eht no m'I_

Zelda translated it to:_ I'm on the roof. _Hilda only texted in code when she was worried that she'd get into trouble for texting such words. After all, every text was sent up to the server located in Castle Town, and detectives could read anything if they felt suspicious. Zelda knew something was wrong.

She replied:_ .pu gnimoc m'I_

(_I'm coming up._)

Zelda pocketed her phone and snatched up her handbag, which she took everywhere in case of danger. Not that she expected danger, of course. But it couldn't hurt to be cautious.

Zelda stayed on her floor, opening up the window at the end of the hall. She and Hilda had often traveled up to the roof as children, so the path was easy. She slid her back across the wall, stepping carefully along the ledge. She tried not to look down at the alley below; she had always been terrified of the four-story fall. At the end of the ledge, Zelda grabbed on to a long pipe and climbed upwards slowly, until she finally pulled herself up to the roof.

Hilda stood overlooking the streets, her blue hair flowing in the wind. The Castle Town skyline, decorated with many skyscrapers, stood miles away from the orphanage. Hilda turned around, her red eyes filled with sorrow.

"It is you," Zelda said, running up to embrace her old friend. They hugged for awhile, then let go. "You look so different…" Hilda had developed into a young woman, quite different from the ten-year-old that was locked in Zelda's memory.

"You, as well," Hilda said, a tiny smile forming at her lips. Oddly, she wore a regal lavender dress with gold armor over her breasts. Hilda seemed to notice Zelda eyeing her suspiciously, and said, "You must be wondering where I have been all these seven years."

"Y-yeah, kinda," Zelda said meekly. Hilda's voice now contained a powerful, commanding tone, which differed greatly from the squeaky vocals of ten-year-old Hilda.

"I-" Hilda was cut short by the sight of Zelda's left forearm. Her red eyes grew wide as she stared at the 900 tattoo. "…You work for the HBI?" she demanded.

"What!?" Zelda realized her tattoo was showing, and quickly covered it with her sleeve. "No, no! Hilda, you don't understand! I don't-"

"Silence!" Hilda boomed, causing Zelda to cower in fear. "As children, we have sworn- _sworn_- to oppose the evil king! Does that mean nothing to you now!?"

Zelda gained some confidence and stood up straight. "I do _not_ work for the king, Hilda!" she retorted. Hilda maintained her glare. "You saw this," she pointed to her arm, "and automatically thought I was an agent!? Come on, Hilda! You know I don't break promises!"

Hilda sighed, closing her eyes. "Then why do you have that tattoo?" she said softly and accusingly.

"Because I got a perfect score on my exam," she said. "But I've been avoiding the soldiers since then."

After quite a while of silence, Hilda, to Zelda's surprise, wrapped Zelda into a tight hug. "I am deeply sorry, old friend," she stated. "Oh, how I've missed you…"

After Hilda released her, Zelda asked, "Where have you been?"

Hilda looked left and right, as if they had visitors on the rooftop, and whispered with a smirk, "Lorule."

Zelda gasped and stepped backwards. "What are you doing here, then!?" she demanded in a loud whisper.

"We're recruiting someone," she said. "He works for the HBI."

"If he works for the HBI, then why would you think he'd be willing to-" Zelda was cut short by her memory of school that day.

The hero's descendant worked for the HBI.

She looked back at Hilda with wide eyes.

"You seem to be familiar with the boy," Hilda said. "Do you know him?"

Zelda shook her head. "No… but I've heard the rumor that he's the hero's descendant."

"It is no rumor. He knows it, and we know it. Lorule- which is the _real_ Hyrule- has the records." Hilda clapped a hand on Zelda's shoulder. "I have not come here to see you, unfortunately, but to recruit the boy."

Zelda nodded sadly. "Okay… It was good seeing you, Hilda."

Before Zelda could walk away, Hilda stopped her. "Zelda, wait. You say you aced your exams?" Zelda nodded in reply. "Then I've got a plan."

Zelda cocked her head. "What plan?"

"You enter the HBI… befriend the boy, and convince him to fulfill his destiny. Get him to join our ranks, for we will need him to save this world."

Zelda bit her bottom lip "…I don't know, Hilda."

"I'm not going to lie, it could be very dangerous. But if you're up for it, just say the word."

"…I'm in."

* * *

><p>2340 HOURS.<p>

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

"So when you first met me," I said quietly, "you actually knew who I was?"

Zelda nodded slowly, sitting down next to me on my bed. "…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been hiding this from you."

"…So where were you tonight?"

"Didn't I answer that?"

I shook my head.

"Oh… well, every other month, Hilda and a friend of hers come back to Castle Town, and we meet in that exact spot… On the roof of the orphanage." Zelda played with an end of her blonde hair nervously, awaiting my reply.

I couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked right then and there. I mentally slapped myself, trying to regain focus. "This Hilda girl… is she Lorule's leader?"

"If you're going to try and capture her then I'm not-"

I cut her off. "I'm done working for Ganon."

Zelda's eyes grew wide and she blinked at me. "…R-really?"

I nodded, placing my hand on hers softly. "I'm tired of it."

Zelda's eyes dropped down to my hand, but she made no attempt to move hers. "Well, um… to answer your question, no, she isn't… And I don't know who is."

"She didn't tell you?"

"She _wouldn't_ tell me," Zelda corrected. She sighed. "…By the way, it's my fault your hand was burned."

"What!?" I asked, remembering the hologram incident.

"They sent that hologram over to you because I told them where we live."

"So when it took the picture of me and said, 'Now we know who to look for,' Lorule wasn't targeting me?"

"No… Again, I'm sorry. I should have told you."

"Goddesses, Zelda…" I withdrew my hand from hers and scratched my head. "If you told me sooner, I would've already been gone."

Zelda smiled and said, "So you're on our side?"

I nodded. "Yes." I grabbed her hand and pulled her up from the bed. "Let's go."

Zelda stumbled a little on the way up, regained her balance, and realized she stood inches from my face. She looked into my eyes with her bright blues, her cheeks turning pink. "Wait," she said softly.

I didn't move my face away from or toward hers. She didn't either. I wanted more than anything to kiss her lips, despite the tiny voice that told me not to. But I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"…We don't have to leave," Zelda said in the same soft tone.

I didn't respond. What was Zelda getting at?

Zelda's lustful look turned into a bright smile, and she stepped away from me. "Every time I met with Hilda, I had given her information about Hyrule." I raised my eyebrows at her, but she went on. "We could keep doing that. We can be Hyrulean agents by day, but Lorulean agents by night. We'll be doing Lorule's work within the kingdom, and Ganon won't know what even hit him!"

Damn, this girl was smart. I wished she hadn't pulled away from my embrace, though. "That's… a great plan," I said, truthfully astonished.

Zelda smiled and giddily ran up to me, wrapping her arms around my back in a tight hug. I hugged her as well, the nice-smelling aroma of her blonde locks wafting up to my nose.

"Let's wait until tomorrow, though," I said, yawning. "I'm exhausted."

Zelda giggled, then we both went to our beds and fell asleep.

* * *

><p>1300 HOURS.<p>

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

65 DEGREES INSIDE.

My head spun. I had a lot of problems to deal with. I was contemplating if Zelda's story was true. I wondered if I should trust her. And finally, I wondered if I had feelings for Zelda.

Truthfully, I didn't know… For any of those three.

I sat at my desk, twiddling my thumbs, when Pipit stormed over to me. "Get up," he said sternly.

I eyed him. "Why?"

"You." He pointed a finger at Zelda, who sat at the desk behind mine. Her eyebrows raised and she shot me a nervous glance. "You and Link come with me."

I slowly stood up from my chair, motioning for Zelda to follow. "Stay behind me," I whispered. She nodded.

The three of us walked into the elevator, and Pipit waited until it shut to speak to us. "There are two Loruleans lurking in Castle Town."

I didn't realize I had been holding my breath. I released it in a long, relieved sigh. "…More?" I inquired, trying to act normally.

Pipit nodded. "Yes. We have been getting reports of suspicious activity in the outskirts of the city. Two suspects, a male and female, are involved."

"…What kind of suspicious activity?" Zelda asked meekly.

Pipit pushed the button that read "1" and the elevator began to descend. "Disappearances of soldiers, and there have been three raids at military storage departments. They stole crates of ammunition and batteries that charge our blasters, but we fear this was no act of thievery. At each raid site, a triangle was spray painted onto the ground- one was red, one was green, and the last was blue."

"Din, Farore, and Nayru," I said. "The Triforce."

"Lorule," Zelda finished.

Pipit nodded. "I'm sending you there, Zelda, because you are the most familiar with the area, since you grew up there. And Link, here," he clapped a hand on my shoulder approvingly, "is our best agent. So don't worry about your safety."

That was the first time Pipit complimented my work, even though it was indirect. I smiled uneasily, thinking to myself,_ 'Do not jump to conclusions, Pipit. Someday you will change your mind.'_

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. Pipit led the way out into the first floor of Zantland, and he told us he'd meet us outside the revolving doors. The large room was bustling with customers; most of which were oodling over the Goddess Harp, which was set out on display in the window.

"Dang it!" shrieked the technician, who stood atop a ladder. He poked at a security camera with a screwdriver, shouting to another technician, "The storm caused all of these cameras to be disabled!"

"What an idiot," I muttered to Zelda. "Now everyone who heard that will steal stuff."

A cluster of girls were standing in the boutique section, looking at the green, blue, red, and purple tunics that my ancestors wore, along with the matching caps. Their eyes shot quickly from me to the tunics, then back to me, and they gasped in realization. A girl with orange pigtails blushed a bit, then decided to walk up to me. I didn't notice her until she tapped shyly on my shoulder. "Um, Hi… Are you… Link?"

I eyed her. She was fairly attractive, but not as gorgeous as Zelda. Her orange hair was covered by a round, light-green hat, and she wore a matching dress. Brown boots with heels made her a bit taller than Zelda, but still shorter than me.

…Why was I comparing her to Zelda?

"Uh, yes," I said. I felt Zelda walk closer to me, and she stood next to me while viewing the girl.

The girl giggled and blushed a bit, then said, "I knew it was you! …You're the hero, aren't you?"

Zelda inched closer to me again, but not enough to make me notice. The girl kept her gaze on me and didn't bother acknowledging Zelda. "Well, not exactly," I said. "I'm his descendant."

Finally the girl noticed Zelda, and asked, "Oh, I'm sorry… Are you his girlfriend?"

Flustered, Zelda's cheeks turned red and she shook her head violently. "N-no! I'm not…"

The girl smiled and returned her attention to me. "I'm Karane. It's nice to meet you, Link."

"K-Karane?" I exclaimed, taking a step back from the girl.

Confused, she said uneasily, "Yes… What's wrong?"

Pipit burst in the revolving doors, obviously impatient with our procrastination. "Link, Zelda, what is the-" He stopped in his tracks when Karane turned around, and his eyes grew wide.

"Pipit…" she said softly.

Pipit couldn't find words. His mouth agape in shock, he trotted up to Karane and caught her in a tight embrace. Finally, he found his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"…I moved here. My mother got a job downtown."

Somehow I found Zelda's hand with mine. She smiled up at me, but I didn't notice. Instead I was transfixed by the reunition.

Pipit had just found his happiness, and it made my heart ache for what I was about to do.

* * *

><p>1350 HOURS.<p>

SKULLTULLA STREET, SOUTH CASTLE TOWN.

62 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Pipit decided to stay behind. He said that we'd be able to get the job done on our own, but I knew he just wanted to catch up with Karane. Before we left, however, I decided to take advantage of the broken security cameras and snatch the Ocarina of Time, the instrument Sheik had used to worsen the storm.

Skulltulla Street was probably the least magnificent location in the entire magnificence of Castle Town. It could be considered ghetto, but it was not nearly as bad as Ordon Village's squalid conditions. The street was bustling, like every other street in Castle Town, so we had difficulty making our way through the crowd at a quick pace. We finally arrived at one of the storage departments, and the entrance from the sidewalk was blocked off by yellow tape that read: POLICE LINE. DO NOT CROSS.

I crossed it. Zelda followed. "Hey, hey, hey!" yelled a soldier with a blaster. He pointed the weapon at us. "Scram! Don't pretend like you can't read that!"

I stepped forward, pointing forcefully at the breast of my tunic, at the HBI letters. "Don't pretend like you can't read _this_."

Zelda giggled subtly and also pointed at her HBI emblem, which was just above her breasts. She was wearing her tight black jumpsuit again, which made her look incredibly sexy. The soldier eyed Zelda, and I noticed his eyes lingering on her in a perverted fashion.

"Quit staring," I said angrily. "She's seventeen, you jackass."

The soldier glared furiously at me, then walked off. I knelt down to the pavement before the ransacked building, viewing the red triangle. After awhile I stood back up, discovering nothing new.

Before we could depart to the next location, Zelda grabbed my arm. "Link, wait…"

"Hmm?" I asked, facing her.

"Can we… go up to the roof?" she asked timidly.

We didn't have Hylian blasters, so the other agents wouldn't know where we were. Plus, I'd get to spend some time with Zelda, aside from working. And I was quite tired, so a little rest wouldn't hurt.

I nodded. "Sure."

We headed across the street to Zelda's old home. I thought about pulling out my FiPhone and teleporting with it, but I quickly dismissed that idea when I remembered how she hated it the first time. So I followed Zelda into the alley, where the pedestrians and soldiers couldn't see us. She found a pipe, which ran from the ground all the way to the roof. She began to shimmy up, and once there was enough space between her and the ground, I followed her.

Soon we arrived at the top of the roof, and Zelda sat at the edge, propping her back up against the orphanage's sign. I sat next to her. Zelda breathed in the air contentedly, the nostalgia of her old home rushing back to her. I smiled at her and put my hand on hers. Zelda opened her eyes and looked at me with a beautiful smile, a cute blush appearing at her cheeks. Despite her shyness, she put her arm around me and leaned her head on my shoulder.

I still barely knew her, but I was already falling for her.

After a long while of peace, a figure hopped onto our roof. I leapt upwards, withdrawing a simple pistol in defense. I relaxed when I saw the girl raise her unarmed hands, and I noticed her blue hair. It was Hilda, Zelda's childhood friend.

"Easy, boy," Hilda said calmly.

Zelda stood up and smiled at Hilda. "Look who I've got here, Hills," she teased.

"Ah, you are the hero's descendant." Hilda smiled slightly and brushed back a lock of navy blue hair. She turned her head to the roof where she had come from, and the three of us were joined by a boy our age.

He landed hard on the roof, and he gripped his knees in minor pain. He grunted, then stood up. He was tall, taller than me, and wore a simple purple T-shirt and cargo pants, held up by a brown belt with a green rupee embedded in it. Under his shirt were white sleeves and a bulletproof vest, making his chest thick. A blue and black striped scarf hung around his neck and over his back. His brown boots matched his gauntlets. Shaggy, dark purple hair was revealed when he withdrew an odd, rabbit-shaped hat, complete with ears and blue eyes.

This guy looked almost exactly like me.

"Hey," said the boy in a voice identical to mine. "I'm Ravio." He pulled out a flying blue creature from his pocket. "This is Sheerow."

My eyebrows furrowed. This guy looked like me, and I just noticed that Hilda looked nearly identical to Zelda facially. I was genuinely freaked out.

"I see you've brought the boy Rupin had seen," Ravio said to Zelda. He walked up to me and extended his hand. I stared blankly at it for a brief moment before shaking it. "It's good that you're finally on our side."

I nodded slowly in reply.

Hilda peered out over the city, standing on her toes to see over the billboard. The pedestrians had parted, and soldiers were working on cleaning up the spray paint. "The ammunition has been transported to Lorule," she explained to me and Zelda.

"It seems that the soldiers in this area are out of ammo and energy," observed Ravio. "I can see their empty clips. The blasters have a red light emitting from the barrel, meaning the batteries are nearly depleted."

"Good," said Hilda. "Now we can initiate phase two."

"Phase two?" I repeated, eyeing Zelda nervously.

"We will explain our plan to you in due time, boy. For now, we must depart for Lorule." Hilda began to walk away.

"Um, Hilda," Zelda said. She stopped and turned to look at her blonde friend. "We're staying in Hyrule."

Ravio put the rabbit hood back on and cocked his head. "…Pardon?"

"We're staying here," I said. "Zelda and I can't just disappear. We're going to work for Lorule while staying within the kingdom."

"Are you certain?" Hilda inquired. "Doing so shall prove to be a dangerous task."

"I'm sure."

Hilda nodded. "Very well. We look forward to your contributions."

And with that, Hilda and Ravio departed. We watched their figures get smaller and smaller as they traveled by rooftop, getting further into the outskirts of Castle Town.

We watched until they disappeared.

* * *

><p><strong>I bet you're wondering why Hilda is on Link and Zelda's side, since she betrayed them in A Link Between Worlds. But as a little sneak peek, prepare for something similar to happen in this story.<strong>

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	6. The Demon General

**Thanks for the reviews/follows/favorites!**

**Song suggestions: Action- "Levias Battle" (SS OST) or "Hidden Village" (TP OST) / Drama- "Sacred Grove" (TP OST) or "Forest Temple" (TP OST) / Ghirahim- "Ghirahim's Theme" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: The Demon General<strong>

1930 HOURS.

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

66 DEGREES INSIDE.

The sun was about to set behind the buildings that made up Castle Town's horizon, painting the sky in a rich orange hue. As the streets below began to darken, more people retreated indoors to their apartments for a good night's rest; meanwhile the night owls were departing from their homes to walk the streets, basking in the city lights. After all, Castle Town was most glorious at night.

I sat in my chair, wishing now more than ever that I'd get some sort of action. I had been sedentary for too long, sitting at my desk and refraining from doing anything productive.

Every now and then Pipit urged me to keep working on an investigation I was assigned, which dealt with disappearances in Kakariko Village in the Eldin Province up north. I was reluctant, however, for I was exhausted; the whole night before I stayed awake in my bed, debating whether or not I should go through with helping Lorule. So every time Pipit walked by, I would type worthless junk on a word processor until he left.

At midday Karane had stopped by to take Pipit to lunch; at that point the agents and I at the office stood around and chatted for an hour.

I was a great employee.

Every day since learning the truth about Ganondorf, I slowly and gradually disliked my job even more. Truthfully, I wanted to bolt out of the headquarters and head to Lorule.

And, of course, I'd take Zelda.

It had taken a lot of thinking, but I finally realized my true feelings for her. As each day passed I grew to like more things about her… The subtle dimple on her cheek when she smiles brightly at me, her beautiful singing voice when she sings the Ballad of the Goddess, her ability to play the harp… And of course, the fact that she was gorgeous. Gorgeous, beautiful, hot, sexy.

_'Goddesses, if Zelda knew what I was thinking right now she'd slap me… Would she? …Yes.'_

I mentally slapped myself to rid my mind of my inappropriate thoughts. I had to deal with more pressing matters at the moment, such as a plan to screw up Hyrule somehow without being caught.

I had nothing.

My FiPhone buzzed in my lap. "Master," said Fi, the FiPhone's personal assistant made for the customer, "You have a text message from Ravio." I quickly snatched my phone and turned the volume down to vibrate, but thankfully no one heard Fi's robotic, monotonous voice. I opened the messaging application and read Ravio's text.

It read: .ereh su teem owt uoy dna ,uoy htiw emoc ot adureZ lleT .ecnivorP nidlE eht ta era ew ,ukniR

(Rinku, we are at the Eldin Province. Tell Zeruda to come with you, and you two meet us here.)

Rinku was my code name, for we didn't want my name mentioned. Zeruda was Zelda's code name. Both names translated into our original Hylian names, but the language our code names originated from had been long forgotten.

I replied: .ruoh na ni ereht uoy teem lliw eW

(We will meet you there in an hour.)

I looked left and right, noticing my fellow agents' eyes locked with their laptop screens. I looked behind me at Zelda, and caught her eye. My eyes darted from hers to the elevator, and I gestured subtly with my head in that direction. She seemed to understand; she nodded, closing her laptop.

But we couldn't just leave the headquarters; they'd be suspicious. I frantically thought for a solution.

My eyes swept over the streets below, and I spotted a fight between two commoners. A crowd surrounded them, cheering the men on. I stood up, saying quite loudly, "There's a fight below."

Groose scoffed, leaning back in his chair and smoothing out his red pompadour. "Yeah, so?"

"So," I said, "I'm gonna go check it out. It could turn into a riot."

"Doubt it," said Fledge timidly. "But hey, it couldn't hurt to go investigate."

"Guess not," Pipit said. "How does it look?"

"Not good," I said, keeping my eyes on the streets below. "I might need company… Zelda?"

The blonde girl stood up. "Sure."

Normally I wouldn't go down to the streets and stop a fight. They didn't last too long, after all. But today, I needed that excuse to get out of the agency. I grabbed Zelda's hand gently and gave her a reassuring nod of the head, and we walked to the elevator. I didn't bother taking my microphone or blaster, so no one could find our location or hear a conversation.

"Link," Malon said, "Bring your rifle_-_-"

The elevator doors shut, and we descended from the top floor. I withdrew my pistol from my waist and loaded it with eight bullets from my tactical belt, throwing on my sunglasses as well. Pistols were not as accurate as blasters, since they didn't have the homing ability, nor were they as powerful. But I always carried one just in case my blaster ran out of battery power.

"Load your gun," I told Zelda.

"I… don't have one," she said quietly.

I looked at her through my dark shades. "You'll need one, and soon. If we are to_-_-" I cut myself off, looking at the surveillance camera in the corner of the elevator. "…Get into a fight, you'll need to be able to defend yourself."

Zelda smiled. "I think I can defend myself pretty well."

I raised my eyebrows at her with a small, teasing smile.

"How do you think I survived walking the streets of Castle Town? I had to deal with thieves, rapists, and drug addicts." She smiled slyly at me.

"Pepper spray?" I guessed with a light chuckle.

Zelda giggled, then looked up at the camera. She shook her head at me, and I understood she planned to tell me once we were in private.

We came to an abrupt halt, and the doors slid open to reveal the first floor. The dark room was deprived of customers and employees; closing time was at seven o'clock on weekdays. I walked to the exit, placing my hand on a palm scanner. Once it recognized my identity, the security system unlocked the door and we exited. As soon as the door shut again, the door clicked as it locked again.

Once we felt the fresh air fill or lungs, Zelda smiled at me. "Okay, here, I'll show you."

I watched as Zelda's hands produced a sparkling flash of energy, and a popping sound occurred. She smiled brightly at me as i stared in bewilderment. "What did you just do?"

She giggled lightly and pointed to a can on the sidewalk, saying, "Look there." I watched as the aluminum can levitated in midair.

"You can do magic!?"

"Yep," she said, still smiling. "Ever since I was a little girl I've been able to preform minor feats. I cannot interfere with the human mind, though, so there are limitations."

I shook my head in utter bewilderment. "Oh my goddesses, a magician? The only other known magician in all of Hyrule is Ganondorf himself!"

"Yes, and I'm not too picky about hiding it from these people," she said. "It's how I scare them away, frankly."

I laughed lightly and smiled. "That's… amazing."

"I'm hoping it'll help us somehow against our enemy," she said softly.

I sighed. "Magic is virtually useless these days. I don't mean to rain on your parade, but that's the way it is now. There's no use for the Master Sword, or any sword actually. Technology is our only weapon."

Zelda nodded. Then her eyes widened. "We have to stop that fight!"

"Dammit, I nearly forgot," I said, making my way to the center of the street.

A crowd of thirty surrounded two fighters and blocked passersby from driving through the street. There was a twenty car backup, with each honking their car horns impatiently. Greedy taxi drivers snickered as their passengers' fees increased as time wore on.

I shoved my way through the crowd, making sure not to let go of Zelda's hand. A couple of perverted men whistled at the sight of Zelda's attractiveness, and I sent warning glares in their direction. When we got to the front row, the two fighters happened to be a man in his twenties wrapped in a purple cloak, and a teenaged boy.

A _Sheikah_ teenaged boy, adorned with a gray turban, mask, and a dark blue tunic with the blood red eye symbol covering the chest and abdomen. His blonde hair was braided back, hanging just below his shoulder blades.

Sheik.

How did he escape the basement of Zantland? I'd have to find out.

The man with the dark purple cloak had red eyes, long gray hair that resembled the style of General Ghirahim's, but much longer, and a pair of tall red boots. His belt was golden with the Great Sword symbol engraved in the middle, with abundant spare bullets attached to it. A scar rested just below the man's eye, the one that was not obscured by hair. His skin was sickly pale, a very light lavender hue.

I had trouble remembering who this guy was, but I knew he had some importance to Ganon. Though his appearance seemed feminine, I knew he'd be a dangerous threat.

I stepped behind Sheik and gripped his shoulders with my hands. He snarled and whipped his head around to see, and he gasped when he saw me. "You!?" he yelled over the commotion.

I looked at the man in the cloak, who was glaring fiercely at me. "An HBI agent, it appears!" said the man. "Remove your hands from my opponent's shoulders immediately! No one interrupts my fights!"

"Well, sorry, sir," I said, "but we're returning this guy to his cell."

Sheik glowered furiously at me. "I will not go back there," he said forcefully through clenched teeth.

I whispered into his ear, "Run. I can take this guy. Meet me in Eldin." Sheik's eyes widened and he returned his gaze to the man. I gave him my attention as well. "Who are you?"

The crowd around me laughed, as did the man. He flipped his hair with his gloved hand, smirking devilishly at me. "You don't know who I am? Ah, you agents are so ignorant… I am Vaati_-_- _General_ Vaati."

"_General Vaati?_" I mouthed to Zelda. She shrugged in reply.

Vaati stepped forward and shoved Sheik out of my grasp, jabbing a finger in my chest. "Know your place, weakling!" he boomed. "Do not bother the upper classes, or you will be punished… severely."

I growled, standing up straighter, locking my shaded eyes with his reds. "You can't do anything to me. Ganon would have your head if you hurt his prodigies." I turned to Zelda and smirked. "That is, if you _could_ hurt the prodigies." Hopefully I was buying enough time.

"Try me." Vaati's eyes diverted to the crowd, and they widened. "…Wait, where's the boy!? _The boy_!" I turned around and grabbed Zelda's hand, leading her out of the crowd and into an alley. "It's because of you, green one!" Vaati howled, unable to pursue either me or Sheik. We had both disappeared from Vaati's sight.

But I had a feeling that I'd meet up with that mysterious guy again.

We fled to an alley which lead to another street leading north. At the end of the alley, Zelda and I stopped to catch our breath. She kept looking backward for any pursuers. "Sheik may meet us in Eldin," I told her.

"But the Eldin Province is way up north," she argued, turning to face me. "Sheik will probably want to go to Lorule down south."

I nodded. "True, but if he does come to meet us, he'll have easy access to Lorule."

Zelda sighed and looked back again. "The crowd has departed. Everyone in the headquarters will be able to see and wonder where we are. They might come looking for us."

"Them, or Vaati."

Zelda nodded, grabbing my hand. "Let's go; maybe we could take a cab."

The street consisted of yellow blurs whizzing by, so we'd have no trouble finding a taxi. I waved my hand up to signal the taxi driver, and he pulled over on the edge of the road.

I opened the door, holding it for Zelda to enter it first. She offered me a small smile and got in first, and I followed her. When the door was shut, I told the driver, "Kakariko Village, please."

"The Eldin Province? Sir," said the guy, "that be quite a ways away from 'ere. We're looking at an hour at least."

I bit my bottom lip. An hour drive would cost about two hundred rupees… enough to buy a cheap assault rifle, which I may had needed, since Hylian blasters had tracking devices on them. I had a pouch full of a thousand rupees, but the bank had the rest of my money, which I may lose for being disloyal to the king.

I nodded finally, repeating, "Kakariko Village, please."

The taxi driver shook his head, muttering, "It's your wallet."

Normally city dwellers didn't take cabs outside of Castle Town, but since I didn't own any other form of transportation, and since I didn't want to walk, I did so anyway. I looked over at Zelda and smiled reassuringly at her.

She smiled back, then shivered subtly. I guessed she was cold. I took her hand in mine, rubbing her smooth skin gently with my fingers.

Somehow during the trip we managed to fall asleep. When the cab came to a brief halt, my eyes snapped open, and the sky was dark and filled with stars. My arms were wrapped around Zelda, who was leaning her entire upper body on mine, her head on my shoulder. Her hands were also wrapped around me, and her golden hair was sprawled out over my shoulder, the mystifying aroma wafting up to my nose.

She looked up at me, blushing furiously. She quickly retracted her arms and upper body from me, sitting back up in her seat. I did the same, trying to avoid the inevitable awkwardness.

"Mornin'," said the taxi driver. "We've arrived."

I grunted subtly and rubbed my eyes. "Thank you… How much?"

"Four hundred and fifty," said the guy with a smirk.

"What!?" I exclaimed. "How long were we driving?"

"Just 'bout two hours."

"You greedy bastard," I said. "You said it'd only take an hour!"

"We ran into some troubles." I growled and paid the guy the exact amount. "Thank'ee, sir," he said. "…No tip, eh?"

"Nope."

Zelda and I exited the cab and it drove south down the dusty road, toward Castle Town.

Kakariko Village consisted of average-sized homes, a hot spring, and plenty of shrubbery. The paved road ended at the village's entrance, where it shifted to dust and dirt. Towering over the village was the menacing Eldin Volcano- or Death Mountain, as the Gorons preferred to call it.

"Come on," I said, starting down the road. "Maybe we can find Hilda and Ravio."

Zelda coughed and wiped the dust off her black jumpsuit.

"Hey!" shouted a voice.

I immediately hopped in front of Zelda and looked left and right, searching for danger. But all I could see was a heavyset man trotting up to me. He was pale, had a thick white mustache on his lip, and wore a blue vest, which revealed too much chest hair. His belt held up various tools_-_- a carpenter.

When he reached us, he gasped for breath and hunched over his knees. "There's… a girl and… a boy…"

"Speak, sir," I said.

The man caught his breath. "Two young people_-_- captured! A boy and girl, both had dark hair… They need help!"

Zelda and I looked at each other wide-eyed. I turned back to the man. "Where were they taken?"

"To Death Mountain!" he shouted. "They could be in danger! The man who took them is evil, I tell you!"

"We've got to go," I told Zelda. She nodded and we ran through the village.

* * *

><p>2240 HOURS.<p>

DEATH MOUNTAIN, ELDIN PROVINCE.

89 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

It was nearly eleven o'clock, but it was still scalding hot. The magma within the volcano emanated, and it made me start to sweat.

We had been gone for nearly three hours. The agents were surely wondering where we were. I'd have to come up with an excuse_-_- and a good one, at that.

But that was the least of my worries at the moment. I was more concerned about saving Ravio and Hilda.

After trekking uphill for about ten minutes, Zelda and I came upon a dark cave with a sign that read "GORON CITY" hanging above it. I looked at Zelda and shrugged. She repeated the motion, and we walked into the dark cave.

It was dark. Very dark. I tried to use my FiPhone as a flashlight, but it was completely deprived of battery life. I muttered a curse under my breath and kept walking. We didn't have any light source, so our best option was to walk straight and let our feet take us through the cave.

Eventually an orangey light came into view, and as we kept walking toward it the cave became brighter. Torches lined the walls, finally offering bright light. The cave opened up to the interior of Death Mountain, and I gasped.

Twenty Gorons_-_- huge, brown creatures whom I've never seen before_-_- were all clustered together in a large, iron bound cage. There was a spiraling path that lead down from where I was standing to the bottom, where the Gorons were being held captive. The mountain walls were embellished with tapestries with the Hylian Crest portrayed in gold paint. In the heart of the uncivilized city stood a large marble statue of the Goron chief, whom I was told was named Darunia.

"They're trapped!" Zelda said. "We have to help them!"

"Not yet," I cautioned. I grabbed her hand and started down the spiraling path. "We've got to be careful; this could be a trap."

"We _are_ trapped!" shouted a Goron. "Please, help!"

"Who did this to you?" I asked.

"Uh… a man, I think! Maybe a demon."

"Describe him."

"Tall… white hair… red cloak. Please, brother, free us!"

I sighed and examined the cage for a lock of some sort, but there weren't any. The iron bars wouldn't budge when I tried to shift them, and there seemed to be no way to free the Gorons.

When I looked to my left, I saw the iron bars melting at the hands of Zelda. She turned and smiled at me, then resumed her work. I blinked, dismayed, and stood back to watch. The bars melted away rather quickly, the black easily turning to red to yellow to white, then disappearing. Finally Zelda melted away five bars, offering the Gorons a large enough hole to escape from.

The twenty of them filed out one by one, and they danced happily once they were freed. I walked to Zelda and smiled at her. "That's amazing."

"Can't do that with technology, can you?" she asked teasingly.

"Maybe with a flamethrower."

Zelda giggled cutely.

I turned and asked the same Goron, "Why were you locked up?"

"Our chief, Darunia, tried to stop the man from escape. The man punched Darunia square in the chest, and he rolled all the way out of the city and down the mountain!"

"Where did your captor flee to?"

The Goron lowered his eyes and sighed. "He had two youngsters, brother. I fear for their safety; they've been taken to Dodongo's Cavern."

"Dammit," I muttered under my breath. Dodongo's cavern, according to legend, was the most dangerous place in the Eldin Province. "We'll save the two of them, and we'll make sure your chief is alright."

"Thank you, brother."

"How do we get to the cavern?" Zelda asked.

The Goron pointed to a cave directly below the one we entered in. "Go through there, but be sure to bring some light. It gets dark."

* * *

><p>2300 HOURS.<p>

DODONGO'S CAVERN, ELDIN PROVINCE.

96 DEGREES INSIDE.

My shirt was drenched in sweat. The extra layers on my skin didn't help, either. As we neared a rickety bridge across a pit of lava, Zelda squeezed my hand tightly. "I… don't want to cross it," she whispered.

I nodded and pulled out my FiPhone, and despite the heat, hugged Zelda close to me. We teleported across the bridge to the other end, landing on an outcropping with a steel door behind us. I felt dizzy; teleporting always did that to me, and the heat only made it worse. I stood up slowly, staggering, until I regained balance. I helped Zelda up the same way, and with no other place to go, we pushed the steel door open.

We emerged in a round chamber, and the air was a bit cooler. There were no lava pits, so I wouldn't need to worry about where I walked. At first I thought the chamber was empty, and when I stepped forward, a flash of red and white diamonds appeared from thin air, forming into a figure of a man.

"Oh, how _delightful_!" he said in a mocking tone. "It's you!" The man's visible eye was caked in black and purple makeup; the other was obscured by his long white hair. His skin was a pale gray, and he wore a tight white shirt and pants, which were thankfully covered by his red cloak. He wore white boots and matching gloves, and his gold belt held something shiny in the middle. Attached to his belt were two knives, two chrome pistols, and a grenade.

This was General Ghirahim.

"General," I said with fake respect and a nod.

"Oh, shut your goddess-forsaken trap!" he yelled, his eyes widening in fury. "I know you are a traitor; you're the hero's descendant, after all! But my master doesn't believe me!" He snarled and clutched his fists together, swinging them down as he spoke with rage. "Do you know how that makes me feel? Furious! Outraged! Sick with anger!" Ghirahim disappeared into diamonds.

Zelda inched closer to me and clutched my arm in fear, shaking.

He reappeared behind us, placing one gloved hand on Zelda's shoulder and one hand on mine. Zelda shrieked quietly and I froze up, the man's eyes boring deep into my soul. "Listen up, boy, and listen well. I know the truth. I know you're working for those wretched brats I captured." He licked his white lips with a snake-like tongue, sneering. "It seems that we've used you up."

_'Used me up?'_ I thought.

Ghirahim disappeared again, reappearing ten feet in front of us. "We have no more use for you_-_- what good is a traitor?" He laughed maniacally, raising his arms as if absorbing the sun. "I cannot kill you, or my master will be angry. Instead, I shall deafen you two with the sounds of your own screams!"

I never thought I would fight one of Ganondorf's generals. I never wanted to. But now, I didn't have a choice.

I whipped out my pistol as Ghirahim withdrew his two chrome guns. He fired three rounds in each gun, and I summoned a force field around myself and Zelda. The bullets bounced off harmlessly. I disabled my force field, but used most of my tactical belt's energy to maintain Zelda's. I ran forward, firing two rounds. Ghirahim deflected them with his gloved forearms; they were definitely bulletproof. When I got closer enough I leapt upward, firing a bullet straight down at the general's skull. He snarled and evaded the bullet, performing a sweep kick. His foot smacked my pistol, and it skidded out of my grasp many yards away.

"Ah, it wouldn't be so fun if it weren't a fair fight." Ghirahim chuckled and dropped his two chrome guns, kicking them away. He withdrew his two knives, which were black and glowing red at the tips.

I growled and pulled out a small serrated dagger from the back of my belt. I gripped the black handle tightly, and the knives' demonic red glow reflected off the dagger's glossy sheen.

We ran at each other, weapons in hand. Ghirahim attempted to stab at my dominant arm, but I retracted it, spun, and sliced diagonally. My blade grazed his shoulder, and he howled as black blood oozed out of his wound.

_'Black blood? This guy's a demon!'_

Ghirahim snarled and licked his lips, swinging horizontally in either direction with both knives. A hot pain emerged in my chest as I felt the knife's cool edge slash at me. I grunted in pain as my tunic was soaked with warm blood.

I grit my teeth as Ghirahim teleported away, back a few yards. He smiled maniacally and laughed. I let out an agonizing cry as my right fist turned golden and illuminated the chamber in heavenly light, hurling the dagger straight at my opponent.

Ghirahim yelped in agony, looking down in fury at the black hilt sticking out of his left shoulder. He gripped the handle and with a grunt, yanked it out. "You wretched brat!"

As the black sludge oozed slowly out of his two wounds, General Ghirahim dissipated into red and white diamonds.

The shiny gold object that was on his belt fell to the floor.

He was gone, but not for good.

I clutched my chest in pain, falling down to one knee. Zelda ran over to me and yelled things I couldn't hear. And somehow I saw Ravio and Hilda_-_- and even _Sheik-_- looking down at me with their dark red eyes.

Zelda held my hand as I was dragged back to Goron City on a gurney, and a smile formed at my lips before I blacked out.

* * *

><p><strong>Goron City takes its Ocarina of Time appearance in this story, but the large cauldron in the center is replaced with a statue of Darunia.<strong>

**I've been focusing on action lately, but romance is on the way. Don't fret.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	7. Conundrums

**Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites, guys and gals! I truly appreciate everything.**

**Apologies if I haven't been able to update as quickly as before. I've been getting tons of homework lately in addition to sports. I'll try my best to keep this story up and running.**

**Oh, and I've finally gave this story a cover art. Yes, I own it.**

**Song suggestions: Beginning- "Temple of Hylia" (SS OST) / History backstory- "Goddess Mission" (SS OST) / Death Mountain- "Death Mountain" (TP OST) / Drama- "Sacred Grove" (TP OST) and "Forest Temple" (TP OST).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Conundrums<strong>

0332 HOURS.

GORON CITY, ELDIN PROVINCE.

79 DEGREES INSIDE.

I awoke to a mystifying tune. My crusty eyes slowly opened, and a gray blur in front of me slowly became more detailed as I focused.

Sheik knelt before me, his eyes closed as his fingers swiftly switched between the holes of the Ocarina of Time, playing different notes. After the song ended, I felt a great pressure lift off my cut chest. "Ah, you're awake," Sheik said, stone-faced.

I gritted my teeth as I sat up, propping myself against my arms. I was laying on the warm ground of Goron City, and though the gash in my chest seemed to feel better, my head spun violently. I remembered passing out the night before, and Sheik actually was worried about me. Why? Why did he even come to Eldin in the first place?

"My chest… feels better," I grunted. "…How did you do it?"

Sheik only snorted quietly, then gestured to the blue instrument by lifting it up slightly. "I found this in your pants pocket. Apparently you've taken it from me, yeah?"

I rolled my eyes. "You knocked my blaster off the edge of that roof; let's call it even."

Sheik snorted again, more loudly this time. "I did you a favor. If you still had that blaster on you, they'd know you were here; you'd already be in prison."

I rolled my eyes again, but didn't persist.

"Tell you what," he said. "I'll give it to you, but only after you learn all the useful songs it can play. Deal?"

"Useful songs? Like what?"

"Like the one I just healed you with."

I shrugged. "Fine. Deal." A thought came to mind as I searched the area for my allies. It was empty, even of Gorons. "Wait, where is Zelda?"

"The blonde girl?" I nodded impatiently at Sheik. "She and the two Loruleans are escorting the Goron Chief back up the mountain," he said. "I've heard he's injured a bit, but he will heal."

I sighed in relief, grateful that she was okay.

Sheik stifled a chuckle. "You seem to care about her a lot." I looked at him, but didn't confirm nor deny it. He went on. "She cares about you too."

My eyebrows raised, despite my attempts to keep them at bay.

Sheik chuckled again. "Yeah. She was sitting next to your unconscious body here for at least two hours. I even saw her cry."

She _cried_? She cared for me?

Sheik waved off our previous topic. "With all romance aside, now that were '_allies_,'" he said with exaggerated air quotes, "I need to know your name."

He didn't know my name? I guess I'd never told him. "Link," I said with a nod.

He nodded back. "I'm assuming you've already learned mine. Anyway, that song you heard me play was called the Song of Healing. It does exactly what you'd think it does: healing."

"Do I have to be a magician to use the ocarina?"

"No. The instrument holds its own magic within itself."

I sighed. Magic was _dead_. There was no use for me to learn this. Technology did everything for us. "What about that other song, the Song of Storms? How'd that go?"

Sheik laughed. "I'd rather not create a massive storm cloud within Goron City."

_'You can do that!? Right out of thin air, make a storm cloud!? But we're in the middle of a volcano!'_ I thought.

Sheik seemed to notice my baffled expression and smirked. "We should get started on learning these songs," he said.

I nodded and listened to Sheik play low notes on the ocarina, switching back and forth between low and semi-low notes. When he finished, he raised his head. "That was the Bolero of Fire."

I looked around for any signs of change. When I couldn't find anything different, I looked back at Sheik, confused. "What does it do?"

"It warps you to Death Mountain. But since we're already here, it has no effect."

"Why would I need to warp when I can teleport?"

"For teleporting, I'm pretty sure that there's a distance limit; whereas with the ocarina, you'll be able to warp from any given distance." Sheik handed me the ocarina after wiping the mouthpiece off with his sleeve. "Now play, Agent Link."

After numerous attempts to learn how to play the ocarina, I had finally learned the Song of Storms, Song of Healing, and Bolero of Fire. Sheik insisted that I only played half of the Song of Storms so I wouldn't trigger it's effects. I tucked the instrument into my pants pocket, satisfied with the day's work.

"When will I learn the other warping songs?" I asked Sheik.

He stood up and stretched his arms over his head. "There's a catch to warping: if you learn the Minuet of Forest, you'd have to have been to Faron Woods to be able to warp there. The same goes for the other songs and places you'll be able to warp to."

I nodded, stood up, and turned my head to see a large Goron stomp into the city, clutching his black eye. The creature had a large belly and pectoral muscles, and his arms and legs were thick with muscle. His mouth was curved into a permanent frown, and his eyebrows furrowed deep into his round purple eyes. Surrounding his thick head were pale spikes, and more of the same spread down his back and around his chin in a rock-hard beard. The majority of his back was obscured by a shell, made of dark brown rocks that seemed virtually impenetrable. No doubt, this Goron was the chief, Darunia.

Hilda and Ravio came scurrying behind him, their foreheads creased with worry. And behind them came a familiar blonde girl, Zelda. I smiled upon seeing her beautiful face, and when she noticed I was awake her bright smile lit up the darkness of the cave she was walking through.

She ditched Hilda, Ravio, and the chief to trot over to me, and I did the same. I was actually going to stop in front of her, but Zelda tackled me into a tight hug. I laughed awkwardly and hugged her back.

"You're back," I said after she pulled away.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "You're awake!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.

"I wasn't unconscious for too long, you know." I smiled gratefully for her concern.

She grazed my arm with her hand and rubbed it a little. "It felt like forever…" she whispered softly. I could tell she didn't want me to hear it, but I did anyway. Immediately my cheeks turned a little pink, and I tried to subdue my embarrassment.

Zelda averted her eyes and turned to the trio behind her. Darunia's thick legs stomped over to the center of the mountain, followed by Hilda and Ravio. "Ugh…" moaned the Goron chief. He surveyed the area with a quick sweep, taking notice of only me and my friends. "…Where is that demon!?"

I remembered that General Ghirahim had disappeared, but I wasn't sure if that was the case; my head was still swimming. I looked at Zelda for an answer. "Gone," she told Darunia.

"How?"

Zelda put on a tiny smile and looked at me. "Link fought him off."

I looked up at Darunia's purple eyes, nodding. "So," said the chief, "did you kill him?"

"Negative," interjected Ravio. "Lorule's files indicate that Ghirahim is a prodigious warrior for the king. Surely he has not perished."

Hilda nodded at Ravio's statement. "Correct. We also can confirm that the general's presence is no longer detectable. He must have somehow transported himself away from this mountain."

"Big words," Darunia grumbled. "Please, speak Hylian."

I sighed. "He's alive, but gone."

Darunia nodded. "Thank you, brother." Then he smiled and patted my back forcefully. "I shall call you _brother_ from now on. You, brother, are our ally."

I smiled at the praise, despite the pain he was inflicting to my back, and I nodded in the chief's direction. Ravio stepped toward me and placed a pale hand on my shoulder. "You, Zelda, and your friend come with us. We have some explaining to do."

I watched Ravio and Hilda walk back through the tunnel they came into, and out of the mountain. I caught a glimpse, though, of something hanging around Ravio's neck.

A necklace.

At the end of it was some sort of shard of gold. This confused me; Ravio had never worn a necklace before.

I shrugged it off and gave Darunia a quick farewell, then headed out of the city with Zelda and Sheik.

Back outside, the sun was just now rising over the distant skyline of Castle Town. I figured it was around 0500 hours. Ravio was standing next to Hilda while overlooking the horizon, his back next to the three of us. My lookalike had a sniper rifle strapped across his robed back. Sheik stayed back a few feet while Zelda and I stepped towards the Loruleans; I figured he didn't trust them yet, or perhaps he was feeling uneasy while Ravio had a weapon.

Ravio turned around slowly, and his red eyes seemed to shine when they locked with my blues. He withdrew the odd necklace from below his chin, holding it out in front of him for everyone to see. The gold object was dangling from the chain, rocking back and forth in a mesmerizing manner. "This shard was in General Ghirahim's possession."

I nodded impatiently; I already knew this information.

"I will explain it's significance in a short while. For now, I assume you have questions as to our whereabouts during your arrival to Kakariko." Ravio's rabbit-shaped hood hung behind his dark purple hair, the ears flopping on his shoulder blades. He smoothed back his shaggy hair, then turned to Hilda.

The girl's golden breastplate reflected the light of dawn. Hilda's smooth voice proceeded to inform us. "After our meeting with you two in the outskirts of Castle Town, we proceeded with our journey back to Lorule. At the borderline between Castle Town and the Ordonia Province, a convoy of military trucks sped past us. At the wheel of the head truck was none other than General Ghirahim."

I looked at Zelda, and she looked back at me with a confused expression. I returned my gaze to Hilda as she continued.

"The tucks were traveling eastward. Since we knew Ghirahim had the shard, we followed him through the Faron Province, along the Zora River in the Lake Province, around the Snowpeak mountains, and finally to Eldin."

Why would they follow Hylian authorities? Were they _trying_ to get captured?

Ravio spoke this time. "We decided to ambush him, but we couldn't take down such a prodigious officer while he had backup. So…" Ravio tapped the barrel of the sniper rifle strapped on his back. "I took out the wheels of the trucks. Before Ghirahim even noticed his companions were missing, he was far out of reach from help. He finally figured it out at Kakariko Village, where he stopped and exited the vehicle. Hilda and I ambushed him, but he… incapacitated us. We lost our weapons, and he took us to Death Mountain to die."

"Why didn't he kill you right away?" I asked. "Why take you to the mountain?"

Ravio sighed, tapping his foot in thought. "The most reasonable answer would be that Ghirahim could be convicted of murder; we had no evidence that we were Lorulean, aside from our identities. So when the kingdom is informed of our deaths, Ghirahim could say that we simply had fallen into the lava; that is, if he couldn't convince the king that we're Lorulean."

_'Beefy answer,'_ I thought. I pretended that I couldn't see Zelda staring at me; if I caught her eye, I would have blushed. I eased my tension when Zelda looked back at Hilda and Ravio.

"When we entered the mountain, Ghirahim trapped the Gorons in a cage, then fought off the chief. He took us through Dodongo's Cavern, and… I don't remember what happened next. Apparently we had lost consciousness. The next thing I remember was seeing the shard fall to the ground, and soon, it was joined by you."

When Ravio finished, I sighed heavily. The entirety of our situation was becoming overwhelming. I had already made enemies with one of the king's top commanders. I only had a matter of time before Ganondorf turned on me as well.

"Now," Hilda said, interrupting my thoughts, "it's time that we told you about the significance of the shard."

* * *

><p><em>During the reign of King Daphnes, people often regarded the royal family as one that held great wisdom. Which, of course, was true… literally.<br>_

_Decades ago, the Sacred Realm, the home of the Golden Goddesses and the Triforce, was disturbed by the knowledge of evil's return. Upon gaining this knowledge, the goddesses split the Triforce into three- Power, Wisdom, and Courage. This way, the evil's form could not complete the Triforce and obtain world domination._

_As a gift from the goddesses, the Hylian royal family was given the Triforce of Wisdom, a small golden triangle the size of the palm of your hand. Generations upon generations went by, and the chosen one to wield the goddesses' gift had not arrived. But all the same, the king always kept it guarded by his top soldiers._

_Daphnes was no different. He himself had attempted to wield the Triforce of Wisdom, and while the golden triangle emanated much more light than before at his touch, he was not the chosen one. The king wondered why its phosphorescence had suddenly increased. To this day, no one knew why._

_Years later on one tragic day, Hyrule Castle was under siege by Ganondorf. Daphnes ordered his wife to destroy the Triforce of Wisdom so the evil man could not obtain it. The mission was successful, but unfortunately, the queen had been killed directly after shattering the goddesses' gift._

_The Triforce of Wisdom was split into eight shards, and they scattered across the land of Hyrule. Seven flew to different locations in Hyrule, one in each province, but one flew very far south- to what is now known as Lorule._

* * *

><p>0542 HOURS.<p>

DEATH MOUNTAIN, ELDIN PROVINCE.

86 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

"So," Sheik, who had been awfully quiet, said, "Ghirahim had Eldin's shard, yeah?"

Hilda nodded. "Affirmative. I assume that another general, specifically Zant, is in possession of another shard. I suggest you take him down, Agent Link." She looked at me with intense red eyes.

I took a step back. I had to kill Zant? And why did Hilda direct the order at _me_? And why was _she_ giving me orders? I looked at Zelda with a pained expression, and she matched it with one of her own.

"Before you do, though," said Ravio with a determined smirk, the first sign of emotion I'd seen from him all day, "take this." He tossed me the necklace with the Triforce shard attached to it. "Protect it well, Agents Link and Zelda."

* * *

><p>1240 HOURS.<p>

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

64 DEGREES INSIDE.

I sat on my couch across from the flat screen TV, listening to the dull hum of the news. Thankfully, it was still the weekend, so I didn't have to go to the headquarters. It gave me time to relax.

Speaking of relaxing, Zelda had fallen asleep with her head on my lap. I smiled pleasantly, stroking her blonde hair with my left hand. I didn't want to wake her up; after all, we had been through a lot this weekend. Running and climbing up Death Mountain, fighting off a demon general, meeting huge creatures called Gorons, sweating in the humid air of the volcano, and a long cab ride home. Just a typical Saturday.

I was so lost in Zelda's beauty (No, it wasn't weird that I was looking at her.) that I nearly missed something important on the news. I turned up the volume a few notches and listened intently.

"…A scuffle on Main Street in Castle Town yesterday between one of King Ganondorf's generals and the rogue prodigy from the Snowpeak Province. Before anyone could get hurt, a passerby stepped in and broke up the fight. The rogue prodigy escaped Hylian enforcement, during this, unfortunately. There is no word on the possibility of the prodigy being a Lorulean. That's all for now." I turned the volume back down.

A passerby…

I guessed General Vaati didn't know I worked for the HBI… Either that, or he didn't want the public to know I was disloyal to the king. But did Vaati know that?

I tried to ignore my conundrum and focused on stroking Zelda's hair… you know, as a friend.

_'Oh, who am I kidding…'_ I thought. _'I'm totally friend-zoned, yet I persist. The best thing for me to do would be to forget about her.'_

Then again… Sheik said Zelda cared for me. She even _cried_.

I mentally slapped myself. _'She cried because I'm her friend. Nothing more. Dammit, Link, you idiot!'_

Now I had _two_ conundrums.

I sighed and looked at Zelda's closed eyes. Her long lashes protruded from the bottoms of her eyelids, and her lips were slightly apart. She looked so peaceful.

After a long while of rest, Zelda's eyes slowly opened, and when she saw me looking down at her she smiled brightly. Then she realized where she was, and her cheeks turned red. "I-I'm sorry, Link! I didn't mean to-"

She started to sit up. I responded by wrapping my arm around her outside shoulder and pulling her back down. Her face grew redder as she looked questionably at me. "It's fine," I said quietly. "I don't mind."

Zelda smiled and nestled into my chest, her blonde hair sprawled out on my green tunic. She looked up at me sweetly with her beautiful blue eyes. "Link…" she whispered. "There's something I_-_-"

The door rattled furiously as someone on the other end pounded on the thick wood. "Open up!" yelled a voice.

I stood up abruptly, half angry that my moment with Zelda had been interrupted, half worried that I could be dragged out of my apartment on my knees and sent to prison. I slowly approached the door, waiting for the voice to speak again. I needed to find out who it was before I opened it.

"Come on! Are you in there? We're worried about you two!" I detected the voice as Pipit's. I breathed a sigh of relief and smiled reassuringly at Zelda, then opened the door. Pipit stormed in, tackling me hard to the floor. "You son of a bitch!" he cursed. He stood up and pulled me to his level by my tunic. "Care to tell me where you two disappeared to last night!?"

_'Shit. How am I gonna get out of this?'_

"Link got injured," Zelda said from the couch. "Sheik was one of the two people in that fight. He had a knife and slashed at Link's chest. We tried to stop him but he got away."

Pipit released his iron grip on my tunic, turning to Zelda. "…Sheik escaped?" For the first time, I saw fear on Pipit's face. His eyes were wide, forehead creased with worry, eyebrows raised.

"Yes…" I said with a nod.

Pipit looked at me with the same fearful look, then dropped his gaze to the floor. "…The king will not be pleased."

I shook my head. "No. But we don't need Sheik. We can do just fine without him. That's what we've been doing this whole time, right?"

Pipit nodded, the fear slowly subsiding. It was disheartening to see Pipit so frightened. I'd always pictured him as a courageous, fearless soldier. "…Who was Sheik fighting with?"

Zelda began, "Gen_-_-"

"We didn't catch his name," I interrupted. "I don't remember what he looked like either."

Pipit looked from me to Zelda, then back to me. "…Alright, then." He sighed, then turned around and started walking to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow." Once outside, he faced me again. "I'm… glad you're okay." He saluted respectfully, then walked down the hall to his apartment.

I was about to close the door when a girl's voice stopped me. "Link, wait!" called Malon. Zelda was sitting on the barstool of the counter, peering at our redheaded friend. Malon couldn't see Zelda from where she was standing, though.

"Um, what's up, Malon?" I asked nonchalantly.

She just smiled and ran up to hug me. I grimaced and my eyes grew wide in surprise, and my eyes instantly darted to Zelda. Her face was red, but expressionless. When Malon finally pulled away, her freckled cheeks started to blush. "You're back! I'm so glad you're okay!"

I laughed uneasily and smiled. "Uh, yeah. Thanks," I said.

Her smile widened. She began to tap her feet together, and her arms hung behind her back. She averted her eyes to the floor and giggled quietly. "Listen, Link… I…"

I heard Zelda clench a plastic water bottle.

Malon's blue eyes finally met my own. "…Would you like to be my date for the king's royal ball?"

Oh, shit. I didn't even know the king had a royal ball. But that wasn't why I mentally swore.

Malon had _feelings_ for me!? But… but… I didn't like her! She was just my friend!

Dammit, dammit, _dammit_!

I didn't want to hurt her! But then again, if I said yes, I'd ruin my chances with Zelda! _'What chances with Zelda?'_ I scolded myself.

Sure, Malon was, according to Groose, "_hot_," but she was just a friend. I didn't want anything more than that with her. So, I had to tell her.

"Malon…" I began. Instantly, as if I had pressed a button, her smile dropped. "I'm really sorry… but we're friends. I don't want to screw that all up."

Malon's eyes watered and her voice cracked while she spoke. "…Well you just did."

I shut the door slowly and sagged my back against it, feeling the pit in my stomach. I just broke a girl's heart.

Zelda stood by the fridge with a jubilant smile on her face. She held out a bottle of red Goronade to me. "Drink?" she asked.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm going to try to include more details about the other characters, since I've been focusing on Link, Zelda, Sheik, Hilda, Ravio, and Pipit for a while. I'll be sure to include more of Malon, Groose, and Fledge in the future.<strong>

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	8. Ambush

**OH MY GOSH! MAJORA'S MASK 3DS REMAKE! Too bad it isn't on Wii U… But OH MY GOSH, I'M SO EXCITED!**

**Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites! Everything is appreciated. You guys inspire me to keep writing!**

**Song suggestions: **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: Ambush<strong>

2246 HOURS.

SKULLTULLA STREET, SOUTH CASTLE TOWN.

58 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

I stood atop the roof of Zelda's previous home, the orphanage. The warehouses that Hilda and Ravio had ransacked had been wiped clean of all evidence. The wind picked up, ruffling my hair and making my cap flow.

"Master Link," hummed my FiPhone quietly. "You have received a message from Ravioli." Remembering I had changed Ravio's contact ID to "Ravioli" for security reasons, I pulled out my phone from my pants pocket, then read the message.

The screen displayed: iloivaR~ .noitanitsed ruo ot egassap a dnif lliw ew ereht morF .sniur emiT fo elpmeT eht ot gnilevart era yehT .sdooW noraF ni devirra evah adureZ dna slliH ,ukniR

(Rinku, Hills and Zeruda have arrived in Faron Woods. They are traveling to the Temple of Time ruins. From there we will find a passage to our destination. ~Ravioli)

We had also decided to change Hilda's contact ID to "Hills," the nickname that Zelda had given her back in their childhoods. I had given Zelda the Triforce of Wisdom shard; she'd do better protecting it because there could be a chance that I'd lose it in a fight.

Ravio's plan was simple: we would travel from the outskirts of Castle Town to Faron Woods, and from there we'd go to the Temple of Time (also known as the Sealed Grounds). And finally from there a convoy of Lorulean military trucks would take us to Lorule. Okay, maybe it wasn't so simple.

I replied: ?uoy era erehW .dootsrednU

(Understood. Where are you?)

I heard a loud thud behind me. I whipped around to see Ravio stand up from his squatting position after having jumped from the neighboring building. "Here," he said. Ravio pulled the purple bunny hood over his dark hair. The blue eyes on the hood glowed bright blue. He tapped them with his fingernails and they echoed; I figured they were made of glass. "Night vision."

I smirked, then tapped a button on the side of my HBI sunglasses. Immediately my vision flashed with green pixels and I could see the night sky much clearer. "Same."

Ravio scoffed. "Typical Hylian technology. At least Lorule makes their gadgets _look_ good." He smoothed back his purple ears, his lips curving into a sneer.

"Yeah, you're rocking that bunny rabbit look." I chuckled at my sarcastic comment, but Ravio seemed to take it as a compliment. "Where'd you get that thing anyway?"

"It isn't a _thing,_' it is a work of art." The hood's white tooth chattered oddly. "Anyway, Rupin, the Happy Mask Salesman, made me this. He's highly skilled at creating masks with useful effects."

"Rupin," I repeated. "…He's the guy who faked me out with a hologram."

Ravio's lips curved into a small smile. "Yes, he's the one." My odd lookalike seemed to be giving me a lot more emotion than usual.

I looked out over the edge of the roof, seeing the streets as clear as the starry night sky. The soldiers who had been patrolling the area seemed to be taking part in a shift change. "They're gone," I said to Ravio.

"How long do you think we will have?"

When I was a trainee at age fifteen, my first duty was to patrol the streets in Castle Town, mainly in the outskirts due to the rise in crime. I'd leave my post after two hours, and about three minutes later my replacement would arrive. "Three minutes, roughly."

"Then let's depart."

We ran eastward along the rooftops toward the Faron Province. To avoid getting shot down, we had to wait until they were gone to run. After all, when a soldier sees dark figures sprinting across the roofs, his first instinct would be to shoot.

Finally we reached the borderline between Castle Town and Faron, with a minute to spare. At the end of Skulltulla Street stood a toll booth, which didn't actually charge money; it just required identification. We avoided the booth easily, climbing down the other side of the building. We crossed the borderline, and we were in the Faron Province.

From Castle Town, the buildings ended abruptly. Half a mile stood in between the industrial city and the thick forest ahead. A long, winding dirt path wound from Castle Town's pavement eastward to the woods, which would eventually take us to the Temple of Time. Dark trees loomed high overhead, obscuring the moon and stars from view. I tried to see past the barrier of trees, but all was dark.

"Let's go," I murmured to Ravio.

We trekked through the plain, and within a minute or two we arrived at the entrance of the forest.

* * *

><p>2300 HOURS.<p>

FARON WOODS, FARON PROVINCE.

48 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Creatures of the night howled ominously, sending chills down my spine. I kept one hand on my pistol, just in case something attacked us. We had been walking eastward through the woods for what seemed like ten minutes; surely we should have arrived at the Temple of Time.

I wasn't wrong. The dark trail of the forest opened into a wide clearing, illuminated by the orangey glow of torches, which stood next to the entrance of the tall, ruined structure ahead. My mouth agape, I looked up at the tower. Stained glass windows embellished the stone walls, but some were shattered. A large chunk of the roof was taken out, as if a dragon had ripped it off. Piles upon piles of bricks filled the temple's floor.

In the arching doorway stood Hilda and Zelda. Upon sighting the two of them Ravio stiffened, then straightened his posture, chin raised in pride.

Before anyone could speak, a chorus of howls erupted within the forest surrounding us. I leapt into my battle stance and whipped out my pistol. _Damn_, I thought, _if only I brought my assault rifle!_

"What is that?" Zelda whispered loudly.

I turned to her and Hilda, then pointed at the entrance to the Temple of Time. I directed my words toward Zelda. "Stay in there." She hesitated, her face growing somber. "Go!" I ordered forcefully. Hilda returned to the temple without question, and with one last sorrowful look, Zelda followed her inside.

The howling creatures were getting closer; they could surely detect our scents. Finally, two large animals emerged from the foliage.

Tall, gray-haired creatures with piercing red eyes stepped forward, walking on their thick back paws. Obsidian claws sharper than knives dug into the soil as they walked. Their other two arms hung in front of them, their wrists flopping to the ground. The creatures' snouts protruded far from their hairy faces, with black noses and drool falling from their razor-sharp fangs. Slobbering tongues hung limply out of one end of their mouths.

Wolfos.

These beasts had been feared all across Hyrule. Not many were left in the kingdom; they traveled together in one pack, migrating across the provinces. Back in Ordon, our livestock often disappeared; no one knew why. Some told tales of seeing the pack of Wolfos devour the sheep and cows, but no one believed those far-fetched fables. The reason: anyone who would see a Wolfos had never returned.

I stiffened, about to take a step back.

"Don't move a muscle," Ravio mumbled through clenched lips.

The wolves hobbled forward, one with a bloody leg. The two of them stopped yards in front of us, and each of us stared at their fiery red eyes, hearts beating rapidly. After the Wolfos sniffed the air a bit, they faced the night sky and howled.

I took the opportunity and took a shot at one Wolfos with unsteady hands. "No!" Ravio protested, pulling out his own gun. The beast I had shot at was grazed in the side, causing fur to fly. The wolf howled in pain, then grumbled furiously. It lunged forward with its outside paw raised. I dodged as it swung at me, but I was a bit too slow. My chest was raked by the wolf's razor-sharp claws, and immediately I felt my tunic become soaked with blood. I grimaced and fell to one knee, clutching my wound, unable to get up. The Wolfos towered over me, its white fur illuminated by the flickering torchlight.

"Ugh!" Ravio grunted, falling flat on his back. The other Wolfos had kicked him hard in the shoulder with its back foot. The beast lunged upward in attempts to end his life. Ravio rolled to the right, and the Wolfos toppled over in the dirt. Quickly Ravio withdrew a knife from his belt and sidearm threw it as he leapt back to his feet, and the blade lodged itself into the Wolfos' left shoulder. It howled in agony and swung its good arm at Ravio, who dodged the blow.

Meanwhile, I fended off the Wolfos by sweep kicking at its ankles. The beast fell flat on its stomach, and I rose to my feet. I aimed my gun at the wolf's head, shooting twice. The wolf whined, then lay motionless.

I turned to the Wolfos Ravio was fending off, aiming my pistol at the beast. As I pulled the trigger, my gun clicked. I was out of ammo. "Dammit!" I yelled, searching my tactical belt for a spare clip. I came up short. I swore again and returned my gun to its holster.

Ravio yelped in pain when the Wolfos dug its obsidian claws into his arm. I withdrew a serrated hunting knife from my tactical belt and charged forward to my ally's assistance. The Wolfos let go of Ravio's arm and turned to me, its bright red eyes boring into mine. I leapt upward, swinging my makeshift weapon at the beast's head. The wolf backflipped with unexpected grace, and it gestured a paw in its direction as if it were taunting me.

_Taunting_ me!

I grumbled and gripped my knife tightly as I landed on the ground. Ravio stumbled to his feet, gritting his teeth while stifling his pain. We stood on either side of the Wolfos, surrounding it. It turned backward and forward, deciding who to face. I eyed Ravio and nodded. We charged forward, and I let out a livid cry. My knife was buried to the hilt in the Wolfos' chest, and Ravio had the beast in a headlock due to having lost his knife, choking it. The wolf howled in pain, then a chilling sensation washed over me as I felt the icy touch of death. The wolf fell to the dirt as I withdrew my knife from its chest and Ravio released his stranglehold.

I looked left and right at the dead Wolfos. They lay on the ground, bloody, their open eyes now a dim black.

I just killed a Wolfos. _Two_ Wolfos. And _lived_. Damn. That's legendary.

My victory was short-lived as I heard more sudden howls. Four more Wolfos, which seamed much bigger than the last ones, leapt out of the foliage and into the faint firelight, their teeth glimmering and nostrils flaring. Ravio and I stood back to back, and I noticed that one Wolfos, the biggest one, had a deep gash from its left shoulder to right hip. The wound didn't seem to affect the savage beast. They surrounded us, baring their fangs.

I braced myself for the impact of their sharp claws, with no solution coming to mind. I took in every detail, as it may be my last moment alive.

The wind ruffled my hair, shaking the pine trees and scattering green needles throughout the forest. The firelight licked the tree trunks and the walls of the ruined Temple of Time. The wind picked up. Leaves from faraway trees (oak, I guessed) floated past my field of vision. And I wondered, _How do oak leaves travel this far into the woods? They're mostly located at the edge of the forest._

The wind picked up even more until it was howling; no, that was a Wolfos. No, that was the _wind_! I dug my heels into the soil, bracing myself for the intervention of some divine power. Gritting my teeth, I watched with horror as the Wolfos were flung helplessly through the rushing air, being slammed against the thick pine trunks until they lost the red light in their eyes and death overtook them.

The wind decreased a bit, and we were unharmed. I surveyed the area, left and right. Then my eyes drifted upward, to a descending figure in a purple cloak and gold belt. The wind carried him down to the ground, where he gracefully landed, flipping his hair. His red unconcealed eye switched back and forth between me and Ravio. I recognized this pale man.

General Vaati.

I realized why those wolves had injuries on them. Vaati had been attacked, and he fended them off. And the only reason he "saved" us was so he could deal with us himself.

I had no idea Vaati had so much power; he could harness wind and use it at his will!

Ravio shifted uneasily, his dark crimson eyes looking at the general.

Vaati laughed, his voice as smooth as the air surrounding him. "Special Agent 1986-231 Link of Ordonia." He raised his arms in an upward motion, causing the wind to pick up again. "It is I, General Vaati… the Wind Mage."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. He went through the trouble to search for my legal identity; surely he suspected something.

I readjusted my HBI sunglasses, hoping they'd conceal my face, and also hoping Vaati wouldn't recognize the HBI model of sunglasses. I deepened my voice and puffed out my chest. "You have the wrong man."

He laughed again, but his eye maintained its malicious look. "Don't play that game with me, boy! You're the one who helped Sheik of Snowpeak escape!" General Vaati inched forward, his lip curved into a sly smirk. "I had a chat with General Ghirahim… He wants the shard back. We're onto you, boy. We tolerate no acts of treason, especially from our own 'top-notch' agents!"

Ravio took a few steps back, which alerted the beady-eyed general.

"What's this!?" he shrieked. A devilish smile formed at his lips. "You!" Vaati pointed at Ravio, whose eyes widened. "The Lorulean! You're the one who has caused all of the trouble! Ooho, this is just _grand_…"

I gripped the hilt of my know tighter, awaiting an attack.

"If I take the both of you in, King Ganondorf may promote me! I'll be in charge of the other generals, and I'll be able to boss them around! Ooh, this is just _so_ grand!" He began to snicker mischievously.

It just came to me that Vaati was unaware of Hilda and Zelda's presence. I had to keep him away from Zelda and the Triforce shard at all costs.

"So," began the general, "I suggest you lay down your weapons." His white eyebrows furrowed info a deep frown. We didn't budge. The Wind Mage snarled maliciously and snapped, "You want to fight, huh!? How _courageous_." He flipped his hair elegantly. "Ah, well. I could use the exercise, anyway."

The Wind Mage raised his arms and threw back his head, laughing maniacally. The trees blew furiously and the wind rushed past me, pounding my eardrums. I shielded my eyes with my hand, digging my heels back into the dirt. Ravio fell to his stomach and he clung to the dirt. Losing balance, I fell to my knees. The wind blew into my unshielded eyes as I grabbed the dirt with my hands, and my eyes watered.

I nearly lost my grip. General Vaati laughed again, floating up in the sky. His eye glowed fiery red, and he lifted a hand up to the heavens and let out a fierce battle cry.

A sudden burst of golden light emerged from within the Temple of Time and shot through the dark sky. Vaati tilted his head in the direction of the light and lowered his arm, but the bolt zapped him in the chest. The wind suddenly stopped, and Vaati thrashed violently, the golden light enveloping him until he fell to the ground, landing hard on one knee. As he kneeled there, golden light sparked out of his chest sporadically, to which he winced in pain.

I turned my head toward the source of the golden light and saw Zelda standing in the temple entrance, her right hand glowing while she held it out. As I looked closer, I noticed the shard of the Triforce of Wisdom inside her palm, shining with phosphorescence.

Vaati grimaced and whipped his head in Zelda's direction, rising to his feet. "You…" he snarled, wincing from a flurry of additional sparks. He pointed at Zelda, whose eyes were wide. "…The shard!"

Vaati ignored his pain from the flashing sparks and summoned more wind, lifting off of his feet and hurtling toward Zelda. She gasped and raised her arm again, shooting another bolt of golden light straight at the Wind Mage.

Vaati shrieked and fell to the ground, his sorcery outmatched for the power of the Triforce. "…Ugh!" He thrashed violently in the dirt. "The… shard! Give… it…"

Vaati's red eye stared with fury as Zelda's palm glowed. She raised it and pointed it directly at Vaati, but before she could fire another bolt of energy, the Wind Mage's golden headband reflected the light.

Vaati lunged upward one more time in attempt to attack Zelda. She released the bolt of light, and Vaati let out one last agonizing wail before dissolving into the wind, being whisked away with the leaves and pine needles.

The only thing remaining was a piece of Vaati's headband, which fell to the dirt, bathed in heavenly light.

* * *

><p>2351 HOURS.<p>

TEMPLE OF TIME RUINS, FARON PROVINCE.

44 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Zelda held the second shard in her left hand, the first in her right hand. Hilda and Ravio stood on either side of her, staring intently at the divine artifacts. I stood across from her waiting for something to happen.

Something did. The two shards came together as if they were magnets, glowing brighter. They formed the lower left corner of the Triforce of Wisdom.

Zelda gasped, eyes wide, at the sight. "Ah," began Hilda, "you have been chosen." Zelda looked at her, confused.

"What?" she asked.

"All will be explained," she stated simply. She then looked at me, then back to Zelda. "…I assume you'll want some time to yourselves, and the trucks will arrive in a short while. We'll give you some time alone." She tapped Ravio's shoulder and motioned for him to follow as she walked out of the ruins.

Well, that was odd. And I wasn't looking forward to the awkward moment Zelda and I were about to have. But, I _did_ like to be alone with her.

I'm very confusing.

She looked from the new shard to me, a half smile forming on her lips. Unable to find anything to say, she looked back down at the shard, her cheeks turning a bit pink.

I smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey," I said. She looked back up at me. "Thanks for your help."

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, well… you needed it."

I laughed quietly. As I looked around the temple ruins, I noticed the torchlight illuminating the walls in orange and yellow. It looked beautiful and… _romantic_.

_Uh oh._

I realized why Zelda had been blushing. My hand was on her shoulder in the firelight. I retracted it, scratching the back of my head awkwardly.

"Link?" Zelda asked, stepping closer to me.

"Yes?"

Her beauty was breathtaking. I stood there, staring at her, not realizing I was doing so.

Zelda blushed again and looked at the floor. "Thank you…"

"For what?" I asked, gathering up enough courage to take her hand in mine.

She spoke very softly. "Ever since I was born, no one has been there for me… My parents were gone and my one friend abandoned me… You've been the only one who's been there for me. So… thank you."

Somehow Zelda ended up standing inches away from my face. She no longer averted her eyes, and I was staring into a pair of oceans. My heart skipped a beat. Maybe two beats. Three? This was the closest our faces had been. Ever.

But that gap soon closed. Zelda leaned in, and I was sure I was about to have a heart attack. But instead… Our lips met.

I kissed her gently, feeling her soft, warm lips against my own. Zelda's blonde hair brushed against my face, and I stroked her back passionately. She responded by caressing my hair with one hand, her other around my waist. The kiss dragged on, longing and passionate, for nearly a minute. Finally our lips departed, and I reluctantly backed my head away.

Zelda, still teary-eyed, sniffled and rubbed my hand with hers. I pulled her back into my embrace, hugging her while stroking her blonde locks.

She then uttered simply and softly, "_Thank you_…"

* * *

><p><strong>Short chapter. Sorry. I just really needed to update this, so yeah. But YAY! ZeLink! Please let me know what you thought of the chapter.<strong>

**Oh, and I have a lot of ideas for this story, so I have two options: 1. I could make this story a ****_very_**** long story, or 2. I could cut this one off at a certain point and make a sequel (perhaps even a trilogy). So please, tell me what you want me to do. (I prefer the first, but the readers' opinions are equally important!)**

**To be continued!**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	9. A Matter of Time

**Please read my other story, "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule" if you haven't already! Thanks!**

**Thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites, my lovely readers! You inspire me to continue this story!**

**Song suggestions: Romance- "Romance Theme" (SS OST) and "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST) / Drama- "Forest Temple" (TP OST) / Zant's office scene- "The King of Light and Shadow" (TP OST) / Action- "Under Siege" (HW OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: A Matter of Time<strong>

0134 HOURS.

TEMPLE OF TIME RUINS, FARON PROVINCE.

45 DEGREES INSIDE.

The Lorulean convoy never arrived. Hilda and Ravio optimistically waited outside, but Zelda and I stayed inside the Temple of Time. I hadn't taken notice of the interior's beauty; the pale stone walls were lined with ivy and torches, illuminating the temple in romantic firelight. A faded red rug lay from the entrance to a large stone slab, inscribed with ancient Hylian text I couldn't read. Behind that stood a pile of bricks, some with engravings on them. The pile of bricks used to be a door, I guessed, because behind them was a large circular chamber with an empty pedestal in the center. I wondered if it once held the Master Sword like the legends told.

_Doubtful_, I thought. _If this place ever held such a magnificent and evil-slaying artifact, then why is it in a pile of rubble? But if it ever did hold the Master Sword, where is it right now?_

I lay on my side on the temple floor, my back against the wall. My arm was around Zelda's waist, who lay directly in front of me, sound asleep. I pulled her closer, the sweet aroma of her hair wafting up to my nose. I couldn't sleep; a lot was on my mind.

_I just kissed Zelda… What did it mean? Is she my girlfriend now? Maybe it meant nothing, and she was just in a very vulnerable place last night._

Oh, goddesses, I hoped it meant something to her. It sure as hell meant a lot to me.

I lowered my head and rested it against Zelda's, enjoying her company. I shut my eyes and attempted to clear my mind.

Eventually, I let the crackling of the torches and Zelda's warmth lull me to sleep.

I awoke at the arrival of daylight; I figured it was approximately 0600 hours. I lifted my head and looked around, to which Zelda stirred. She turned her head to look at me, causing my heart to skip a beat. "Good morning," I hummed with a smile.

Zelda blushed and smiled nervously. "M-morning…" She propped herself up on one elbow and looked around the temple. "Where are Ravio and Hilda?"

"Last time I checked, they were outside." She nodded and looked at the floor. "Hey…" I grabbed Zelda's hand with the arm I had over her and rubbed it gently, causing her to look up at me. I took the opportunity to lean in slowly, and I kissed her lips affectionately. Heat emanated from her face and added to mine, and we sat up, not breaking away from each other. I cupped her face with one hand and deepened the kiss.

Finally. Finally, finally, _finally_.

I had only done it twice, but I loved kissing her. Zelda's warm lips were soft against mine, her fair skin silky against my fingertips.

After a while, our lips broke apart, and Zelda leaned her forehead against mine. She intertwined her fingers with mine and breathed softly, but as if she were out of breath. Her cheeks were bright red, and a small smile formed at the lips I had just kissed.

Yep, it meant something to her.

"Ahem."

I broke away from Zelda and looked to the source of the sound. Ravio stood in the doorway, glaring at us.

Why was he angry?

"Hilda wants to see us," Ravio said, maintaining his glare. He spun around and walked back outside the temple.

I returned my gaze to Zelda, my face red and eyes wide. She matched my expression. "Um, I guess we should…"

"Yeah," Zelda interrupted awkwardly.

I stood up and offered her my hand. She took it, and I pulled her up to her feet. We walked out of the temple and into the bright forest.

The sun beat down on the pale dirt of the clearing we were in, warming my skin. The trees and bushes were a vibrant green, the multicolored flowers and berries popping out in contrast. A small stream trickled nearby, reflecting the light in its sparkling ripples.

Hilda stood a few feet ahead of us, surveying the area. Zelda and I waited patiently in the doorway for her to speak, with Ravio separating us and Hilda. He stood a ways away, eyes at the ground. Every once in a while he'd shoot me a glare.

"The convoy had been intercepted," Hilda said in her powerful tone of voice. She turned around to face us, but looked down at the dirt as if she were shameful. "Our trackers back in Lorule have sent me a message, saying that they lost signal of the trucks. However, a soldier managed to report who was responsible for this: General Vaati."

I sighed and scratched my head. It seemed like we were fighting for a hopeless cause. And pretty soon, Ganondorf would learn of my treason and lock me up for life. I was beginning to think joining Zelda had been a mistake.

Hilda met our eyes finally. "…There were no survivors."

_He killed them._

I was reminded of the evil that this kingdom was suffering from. No, joining Zelda was not a mistake. Could it be a hopeless cause? Maybe so, but that didn't mean I couldn't still fight.

Sure, the Lorulean soldiers were rebels, but that gave no excuse for murder. A just punishment would be to lock them up in prison; it's common courtesy.

Hilda turned back around. "I advise you two to return to your occupation. Your coworkers must be suspicious of your whereabouts." Hilda strode off to the path we entered in the bought before. She stopped and turned her head. "Farewell. We will meet again."

As Hilda walked along the path, Ravio turned to me and grabbed my shoulder. He brought me inside the temple and motioned for Zelda to stay outdoors.

Uh oh…

When we got inside he forcefully released my shoulder with a push. "Hey!" I protested. "Don't be acting all jealous, now!"

"Jealous? Bullshit." He walked up to me and jabbed a finger in my chest. In a low but forceful voice, he said, "Do _not_ get involved with her. She is to be an _ally_, nothing more. If your little '_relationship_' gets in the way of that, you could jeopardize the entire revolution. Do you understand!?" He progressively raised his voice until he yelled the last demand in my face.

I raised my chin and snarled, "I'm not to take orders from you." I straightened up my shoulders, obtaining confidence. "And your threats aren't going to stop me from being '_involved_' with her."

Ravio's lip twitched into a malicious snarl. "Mind your words, rookie. You'd hate to have me as your enemy."

"I'm no rookie… So if you're so dangerous, prove me wrong," I shot back, raising my arms into the fighting positing.

I sneered at him as he took two steps back. He turned away and strode out of the temple, muttering, "Heed my warnings, Ordonia."

"Coward," I murmured under my breath.

After my doppelganger left, Zelda poked her head in from around the corner of the doorway, her expression worried. "L-Link? …Are you okay?"

I sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine." I joined Zelda at the temple entrance, and I grabbed her hand, intertwining our fingers. "Hilda's right; we should get back. It's nearly 0700."

Zelda's eyes lingered on our connected hands, her cheeks tinted pink. Then she met my eyes and nodded. "Okay."

Our walk from the temple was pleasant. The sun was warm and the scenery was beautiful, not to mention the beautiful girl I was walking with. At first Zelda nervously engaged in small talk, but eventually she warmed up to me and walked as close to me as possible.

It was 0720 hours when we exited the forest, and we had to take a wide turn, straying from the path that led to the toll booth on the borderline between provinces. It was broad daylight; we'd have to be extra careful to avoid being spotted sneaking over the province border.

A rickety fence cut off a Castle Town alley from the Faron Province, and it stood between two small businesses. I helped Zelda hop over it, and once she was on the other side, I leapt over it myself. We exited the alley, and continued down Skulltula Street toward the Zantland skyscraper looming in the distance.

* * *

><p>0857 HOURS.<p>

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

64 DEGREES INSIDE.

We got into the agency three minutes early. The room was empty, dark. As soon as we stepped out of the elevator, automatic lights flickered on. I looked at Zelda with a smile. She was blushing madly; I couldn't figure out why.

And then it hit me: we were alone.

I smiled again, and heat rose to my cheeks. I walked up to Zelda and wrapped my arms around her waist. She wrapped hers around my neck, and I slowly leaned in. I pressed my lips against hers, the warmth lulling me into a trance.

Zelda pulled away, her eyelids barely apart. "Wait…"

I looked questionably at her, disappointed about the interruption.

"Before they come, we should keep this… a secret."

I raised my eyebrows at her.

Flustered, Zelda quickly backpedaled. "Not that I'm embarrassed, of course!" I sighed with a light chuckle. "It's just… If we ever become their enemies, I don't want them to use one of us against each other."

I smiled. "That's smart. Okay, I'm in."

Her blush increased as a thought came over her. "But before then," she said softly, "we can continue."

I grinned and leaned in, kissing her soft lips once again. I poured as much affection and passion I could into this kiss, since we wouldn't be able to again until the end of our shift. She reciprocated, pulling my body closer to hers. I stroked her hair and held her waist tighter.

The ding of the elevator interrupted our kiss._ Damn_, I thought,_ it's already been three minutes?_

I pulled away from Zelda and bolted to my desk, Zelda doing the same. In strode Groose, wearing his dark shades with a spring in his step. Chipper, as always. He wore an arrogant sneer that made me want to sock him right in the jaw. While removing the sunglasses from his eyes, Groose smoothed back his fiery pompadour with his free hand. "What's been going on in _here_?"

I turned to look at Zelda, who was blushing madly. I found it adorable, but now wasn't the moment to drool over her. That was Groose's moment, apparently, because he strode over to her and leaned his arms on her desk. She backed up in her chair and shot me a nervous glance.

"Might I say, you look beautiful." Groose snickered, towering over her. "Just like always," he added with a wink.

"…Um, thanks," Zelda said, annoyed. I could tell she was used to guys drooling over her; probably something she often got back at the orphanage.

"Any time. Oh! I just remembered!" He whipped out two slips of paper.

"You didn't just remember," I muttered under my breath; surely he had planned this. A deep anger welled within my soul, and I fought to subdue it. Was Groose going to ask her out? Truthfully, I couldn't blame Groose; after all he thought that she was fair game. He didn't know we were together now. But still, the anger was present, and showed no signs of going away as Groose kept hitting on Zelda.

"I've got two tickets to the Indigo-Go's concert. You in?"

_Ah, hell no!_

The Indigo-Go's were a very popular band made up of Zoras, often holding their concerts beside Lake Hylia. Their concerts were hot spots for dates, and sometimes when they weren't "rocking out" the Indigo-Go's would play their romantic songs.

"Uh, no," she rebuffed. Quickly, as if she had forgotten, Zelda added, "Sorry."

How brutal.

Groose, eyes wide in disbelief, shook his head madly. "Wait, wait, wait, what!? No!? You _serious_ right now!?" Zelda simply nodded.

I chucked to myself and turned back to my desk.

Groose turned to me and glared furiously. "And what're you laughing about, Ordonia!? I'd like to see you score someone like Zelda!"

This time Zelda laughed, but not as quietly as I had. I joined her, and we began laughing uncontrollably. Groose whipped his head back and forth between us, face bright red in anger, nostrils flaring. "Screw this! I'm going home!"

He stormed off toward the elevator, which slid open with a ding at his arrival. Fledge and Pipit were inside, but Groose barged in and shoved the two boys out of the way. The elevator shut, and Groose was gone.

"What's got his pompadour in a ruffle?" Pipit asked, sticking a thumb in the direction of the elevator.

"He just got rejected," I said bluntly, a smile forming at my lips.

Zelda giggled. "Out of all the guys I had denied, his reaction was the funniest." She then sighed, the smile dropping. "But still, I feel kinda bad."

"Goddesses, don't," said Fledge, rubbing the back of his green hair. "He got what he deserved."

I nodded. "Yeah," I spun around in my chair to look at Zelda, "he's always been an arrogant jerk."

Zelda shrugged, offering me a cute smile. I smiled back.

"Speaking of rejections…" said Fledge, "Malon isn't coming in today." He looked accusingly at me, and I dropped my gaze to my lap.

I sighed, putting my hands to my face. "I'm sorry, okay? I never realized she liked me, and I never felt the same."

"_Liked_ you?" questioned Pipit with air quotes. "Dude, she was in love with you."

"What!?" I exclaimed, as did Zelda.

Pipit's eyes lingered on Zelda, due to her outburst, for a moment, confused. Then he returned his gaze to me. "Yes. She loved you. Nothing less."

I returned my hands to my face, sighing. "I… can't believe it."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, she's heartbroken," Pipit said, patting my shoulder.

"That doesn't make me feel better."

"I've been trying my best to convince her to come back to work, but she won't," Fledge said sadly.

I felt awful; but what else could I have done? I couldn't say yes! I liked Zelda, not Malon.

After the uncomfortable conversation had ended, we returned to work. Pipit stood by the windows and addressed us, holding his laptop on his palm with one hand. "Now," he began, clicking on something we couldn't see, "I just sent you all General Vaati's orders."

A window popped up on my laptop screen. The text read:

TWO ROGUE LORULEANS, AIDED BY TWO UNIDENTIFIED HYLIANS.

SIGHTED IN ELDIN, FARON, AND CASTLE TOWN PROVINCES.

YOU HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO USE FORCE,

AS ORDERED BY GENERAL VAATI.

So, I thought, Vaati is trying to keep our treason hidden from everyone. After all, what would happen if the public found out that two HBI agents have gone rogue? Maybe he just sent this message as a way to scare us.

I turned around in my seat to look at Zelda, who had turned sickly pale. Her eyes met mine, her expression worried, fearful.

"These rogues," said Pipit, "have been a thorn in our side for far too long. General Vaati said he knew where their next target was: right here in Castle Town. Don't ask me why; he didn't offer an explanation. So, with that being said, Fledge and I will assemble soldiers along the perimeter of the province. This will prove to be difficult; as a result crime will rise inside the border."

"So what will we do?" I asked, motioning to Zelda.

Pipit rubbed his chin. "You two have been requested elsewhere. It was Mr. Zant, if I recall."

Damn.

I had an appointment with one of Ganondorf's generals.

My time was running out.

* * *

><p>1010 HOURS.<p>

GENERAL ZANT'S OFFICE, ZANTLAND, CASTLE TOWN.

65 DEGREES INSIDE.

There I was, in the twenty-second floor of the largest corporation in Hyrule. Next to me sat Zelda, the most beautiful girl in Hyrule, but sitting next to her didn't comfort me. No, because I was sitting across from the richest and one of the most dangerous (aside from King Ganondorf) guys in Hyrule: Mr. (a.k.a. "General") Zant.

I had never met with him in person before, aside from that time he contacted me with a hologram, and frankly, I never wanted to.

The Twili was a blue-skinned creature, his eyes bright yellow with no pupils and his mouth a tiny line on his long face. His nose didn't extend from his face; it merely lay there like a squished cucumber. The back of his head was covered by brown, maybe bronze, rings of some sort, which also made up his neck. A large, black robe with intricate green patterns was adorned by the general, a typical style among royal Twili. The sleeves covered his arms, and I couldn't see his hands. Tassels hung from the sleeves, dancing every time he moved his arms. The obsidian helmet sat on the edge of his desk, with intricate carvings etching out eyes and a long, curling tongue where the mouth would be.

Zant sat with his arms laying on the table in front of him, staring at me with those large but beady eyes. "So!" he squeaked in a high, raspy voice. "Agent Link, I assume you and your… partner here are familiar with my position, much unlike your fellow agents."

I nodded, unable to find my voice.

"Yes, I am a general." He paused, twitching oddly. "Who informed you of this?"

"Sheik," I said quietly.

"Ah, the elusive Sheikah…" Zant grumbled and grabbed at his head. "I must ask you that you do not pass on this information to your coworkers. I prefer to act 'undercover,' if you will."

I nodded. "Understood."

"Now…" Zant's eyes widened. "Let us get to the more important issue."

_Oh, goddesses. Here come the soldiers to take us away._

Somehow I found Zelda's hand and took it, our joined hands obscured from the Twili's view. I rubbed it reassuringly and kept my eyes on Zant.

"General Ghirahim and General Vaati have always hated the prodigies. They feel that they are given too much power, and they themselves feel challenged."

_We're only seventeen_, I protested in my thoughts.

"That is why I do not find their claims to be truthful; their claims being that you stole the relics, which they had been trusted by the king to carry. Nay, I disagree!" Zant's tiny line of a mouth twitched into a miniscule smile. "I'm on your side here; clearly it was the Loruleans…"

_ Whoa, am I in the clear?_

Zant's tiny smile dropped to a similarly-sized frown. "Those wretched Loruleans…" he muttered angrily. He then resumed his previous mood. "But, I must ask you… why were you present in the same provinces as they had been, at the same time?"

I grew pale and spat out the first excuse that came to mind. "We were tracking them. I know we didn't have the orders, but we wanted to catch these two as quickly as possible."

Zant leaned back in his chair, his yellow eyes darting from me to Zelda, who shifted uneasily in her seat. He returned his gaze to me, saying, "How honorable. Trying to get a little extra credit, I suppose."

I nodded, putting on a tiny, fake smile. My eyes wandered to the area behind Zant's tall, throne-like chair, and I saw a large safe with a keypad on it.

Two beeps sounding behind us alerted Zant's attention. "Ah! I am being summoned." And with that, Zant exited his office, leaving me and Zelda inside.

I was about to leave when Zelda grabbed my arm. I looked at her, and she pointed at the large window. Four glowing round objects attached Ravio's hands and feet to the glass. Ravio looked at me through the blue eyes of his bunny hood, then lurched his head forward at the glass. The white tooth dug into the window, cutting as if it were a razorblade. Once a decent-sized hole was cut out, Ravio stuck his arm through it and pressed a button on his round gadget, and red lasers were deployed, curving back towards the window. They moved in a circular motion, cutting a much larger hole for Ravio to fit through. He kicked in the circle of glass and hopped into Zant's office.

"Ravio!?" Zelda exclaimed.

Ravio smiled at Zelda, then looked at me. "Link," he said with a humored grin, "this will be your final mission before you join us."

"What the hell are you doing!?" I yelled. "When Zant sees this damage, he'll know that we were the culprits!"

"He will know you're the culprits when he finds the Triforce shard missing."

Shit. This would be my final mission as a double agent. From then on I'd be Lorulean. If only I could've done more!

"Check the safe. He must be hiding it in there." Ravio darted to the safe and studied the keypad, its keys glowing green. Above it was a round black object, most likely a scanner. "No need for this." He took the purple gadgets off from his foot and stuck them to the surface of the safe.

"What are those things?" Zelda asked.

"My own personal invention. I call it the hyper grapple. It does a lot more than just grappling. Exhibit A…" He motioned to the gadgets, backing up. They fell to the ground, leaving nothing but a black mark where they had been. "Damn! The safe is too strong…"

The doors to Zant's office were blocked off by an iron fence. An alarm sounded. The room flashed red.

"You set off the alarm!" I yelled, pushing Ravio out of the way.

"Link!" Zelda called. "Zant left his helmet!"

I turned around, and sure enough, there was Zant's helmet, lying on the table. I picked it up, and it was surprisingly heavy; I wondered how Zant carried that on his shoulders all day. I brought the helmet over to the scanner above the keypad and lifted it upward, showing the "face" to the scanner. A green light flashed and scanned up and down.

A monotonous voice said, "Access granted."

A deep rumbling emerged from within the safe, and we backed up. It swung open, and… it was empty.

The iron gate lifted. Soldiers poured in through the door, blasters drawn, all in their bulletproof uniforms. They pointed their guns at us.

I didn't think. I grabbed Zelda's hand, clinging to my FiPhone with the other, and ran to the window. When we got to it I hugged Zelda to me, and I jumped backwards, throwing my body against the glass. It shattered, and we were free falling through the skies of Castle Town, with lasers being fired toward us, eventually dissipating into nothingness due to the distance. I shouted out a command to my phone, praying to the goddesses that it'd work. Zelda was trembling, clinging to me with tears in her eyes. But she trusted me.

I just needed to trust myself.

"_Teleport_!" I screamed to my phone over the sound of the rushing wind.

The next thing I knew, Zelda and I landed softly on the sidewalk. Her hands clung to my tunic, and she retracted her head from my shoulder, eyes wide in horror. I looked up for a split second at the skyscraper above me, then back at Zelda. "We have to go!" I said, grabbing her hand.

We started down the street, but we stopped suddenly. Ravio landed hard on the ground, on one knee. The pavement caved in where he landed, and he grimaced. He stood up with a grunt and lifted up the hyper grapples. "They're… _ugh... _shock absorbers too."

I led Zelda down the road, sprinting at full speed. Ravio followed close behind with a slight limp. I darted in between the many pedestrians, shoving some out of the way. I stole a glance behind me, and I saw Ravio shoving through the crowds. But behind him, files of soldiers dashed after us in pursuit.

Soon we passed the Anju Apartments building. I looked inside the window at the lobby, seeing Kafei the bellhop staring at me in horror. Behind him stood a tall figure whom I couldn't name.

Increasing my speed, I carried on through the street. Zelda kept looking backward, and eventually she yelped.

"_Ordonia_!"

Before I could look back my back was slammed into by a huge oaf. I fell to the ground and tasted blood in my mouth. My FiPhone skidded across the sidewalk in the direction I was walking. I craned my neck to look at the guy who trampled me.

Groose.

"_Link_!" Zelda shrieked.

Ravio nearly passed by me. Then he stopped and looked back, noticing me on the ground underneath Groose, with tons of soldiers nearly upon us.

Groose looked up from holding me on the ground, right at Zelda. He looked back at the pursuing soldiers, then back at Zelda. "Go, Zelda! Save yourself!"

A tear ran down Zelda's cheek. "No! Let him go!"

Ravio snatched up my phone from the sidewalk, then grabbed Zelda's arm. "Let's go, girlie."

"No! No, I won't_-_-"

Ravio dragged her away to the south, in the direction of Lorule.

That's all I remembered before the Hylian soldiers dragged me away.

My time had run out.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	10. Light and Shadow

**We're officially in the double digits!**

**Thanks for all the reviews/follows/favorites. Everything is appreciated.**

**Song suggestions: Ganondorf scene- "Against Ganondorf" (TP OST) / Action [escape, fight scene]- "Silent Guardians" (HW OST) / Action [during captivity]- "Forest Temple" (TP OST) / Drama- "Sacred Grove" (TP OST) / Proxi- "Story Unfolding" (SS OST) / Lorule- "Dragon Theme" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10: Light and Shadow<strong>

1205 HOURS.

GANON'S COURT, HYRULE CASTLE.

72 DEGREES INSIDE.

I had been bloodied. Beaten. Dragged for miles to the heart of Castle Town. Struck across the head. Knocked out.

I awoke kneeling on my knees, held by two heavily-armed Hylian soldiers. Nearly ten yards away sat Ganondorf on his throne. His smug, arrogant expression had been wiped off; now his face portrayed pure fury. He growled when he saw my eyes snap open, my head swiveling left and right across the room. Finally I met the tyrant's eyes, a snarl forming at my lips.

"It appears our top agent has no further use for the sake of my reign," Ganondorf said flatly, his voice quiet, but still booming throughout the room.

"It appears our _tyrant_ king has no further use for the sake of _Hyrule's welfare_," I shot back.

Ganon snapped his fingers, and the soldiers smacked me across the head with the ends of their rifles. I spat blood out in Ganon's direction, grumbling.

"What a rotten disgrace!" he yelled, standing up from his throne. He turned his attention away from me for the moment. "Guards! Dismissed."

They saluted and walked out the large door to the king's court, leaving me alone with this ruthless tyrant.

"You're lucky I didn't kill you on sight!" Ganon said, stepping forward with heavy black boots. "The hero's descendant. A pity you were even born!"

"You can thank Demise for that," I growled, recalling the legend of the skies.

He backhanded me across the face, and I thought my jaw may have broken. "You are not worthy to _ever_ say the name of my ancestor!" He took a few steps back.

I spat out some more blood, cursing under my breath.

"You had _one simple task_!" he screamed, the sound reverberating against the walls. "Follow my every command! And you couldn't even do that, you wretched _disgrace_!" Ganondorf growled, raising his gauntlet-clad fist in the air. It emanated dark power, but something else caught my eye, something I couldn't describe. "You possessed _two_ of my generals' shards. _Two_! I had three, and now I have but _two damned shards_!"

"I don't have them," I said quietly, but forcefully.

"I am aware," he grumbled. "Your rabbit friend has them… But do not raise your hopes; my army is in pursuit. Soon I will have the completed relic!"

_Completed relic?_ I thought.

He showed me the back of his fist, and through the dark power shone a golden light. A single golden triangle glowed, standing above two faded triangles. "The Triforce of Power is _mine_, yes." His smugness returned, a sneer curving at his lips. "And, as the legend recounts…"

He walked up to me, gripping at my wrist. I yelped in pain, Ganon's fist crushing my bones. The king lifted me off my feet and I grimaced. My hand throbbing, 8 thrashed violently in attempts to escape, but to no avail. "…The Triforce of Courage is always in the possession of the _hero_."

My hand glowed golden, and a faded Triforce appeared on my hand. A burning sensation occurred, and I writhed in pain. Then the bottom-right triangle, the Triforce of Courage, glowed fiercely, bathing my tunic in heavenly light.

"And soon, that will be mine too."

* * *

><p>0756 HOURS.<p>

LOCATION UNKNOWN.

61 DEGREES INSIDE.

The night dragged on, and I awoke in complete darkness the next morning. My drowsy mind assumed I had gone blind, but as I rubbed my eyes my thoughts became more rational. I blinked a couple times, then stretched my arms up_-_- I couldn't bring them past my shoulders. Panicking, my head darted left and right for any sign of another human being.

The lights flickered on. I grunted as tears came to my eyes from the sudden change in brightness. Looking around the dull gray room, I realized where I was: an interrogation room. I sat in a chair at a small table, my arms shackled to the chair's armrests. An empty chair sat across from mine. As I looked left I saw a dark window, where the spectators were watching me right now. I couldn't see them, but I could feel them…

The door next to the window swung open, and in strode a man with neat brown hair and a yellow tunic. Silver letters on his breast pocket read "HBI."

"Pipit," I croaked, clutching my sore throat.

He scowled at me. Striding to the table, he didn't bother to sit. Instead he raised his arm and brought his fist down on my face. I grimaced and spat up blood, my jaw tightening. "You goddess-damned traitor!"

I kept my lips tight; I didn't want to say anything I'd regret. So I put on a determined and prideful glare.

"I had high hopes for you, Link. I should've left you to die in the slums!"

I nodded, a sneer curling on my lips for a mere second.

"I thought you could change, but you proved me wrong! Just because your ancestors lived that life, that doesn't mean you have to!"

I gave up my act of silence and yelled, "What life? A life of fighting for _light_ and not _darkness_!?"

Pipit punched me again, harder this time. My injured jaw cracked and I grimaced painfully. "You need to know which side to fight for," he growled. "Lorule is evil. They killed our families, robbed us of our hard-earned rupees!" He rested his arms on the table, snarling a bit more quietly than before, "You were working for _the shadows_."

The shadows. Hylians used that term to symbolize evil.

I growled at the insult, then said quietly but forcefully, "Sometimes you've got to work in the shadows to bring back the light."

A moment passed.

Pipit backed up, then turned to the door. Before he left, he said, "Farewell, shadow agent."

The door slammed shut, and the lights shut off; I was left in the shadows of Hyrule Castle.

* * *

><p>1004 HOURS.<p>

CELL 001, HYRULE CASTLE.

63 DEGREES INSIDE.

My shackles had been undone by a soldier a few hours ago. I was able to move around, so I pressed my ear to the cell door, from which I heard the faint mumbles of soldiers outside. I listened as intently as I could, but their speech was broken apart.

"…Cell number one… agent who… treason."

Number one, huh? I've heard that this cell was reserved for the most notorious and dangerous criminals ever caught. I was more valuable than I thought.

"And… cell two… Sheikah leader, Impa?" asked the second guy.

"Yes," replied the first.

So, I was being held captive next to Impa. I wondered if she knew that I was in the call next to her. Maybe I could find a way to contact her?

A low jingling noise alerted my pointy ears. They perked up, and I listened for the sound to repeat. It did.

The sound came from behind me; I turned around. Wedging itself through a crack in the wall, a sparkling red fairy squirmed. Finally, with a pop of sparkles, the red fairy came through. It hurled through the air with the force it needed to free itself, then slammed into my forehead. The fairy fell, but I caught it in my hand, rubbing my forehead with the other.

"Oof!" the fairy said. "Sorry! Did not see you there."

"Uh, no worries," I replied.

"Whoa, you can speak to me? Only a select few can speak the language of the fairies!" It propelled itself upward and flew to my eye level.

I shrugged. "I guess I was just born with the ability."

"Anyway, I must be in the wrong cell. Lady Impa told me to go to cell number one to meet Hyrule's top criminal."

"You came from Impa's cell?"

"Yes. But I'm looking for cell one."

"This is cell one," I said flatly with a nod.

"…But you can't be the criminal! You're too… kind," said the fairy.

I shrugged again. "Not to the king, I wasn't."

"Okay, I guess." The fairy fluttered its wings. "My name's Proxi. What's yours?"

"Link."

"Well, that's an unusual one. But, it sounds familiar…" Proxi paused as if deep in thought. "Link! You're the famous prodigy from the Ordonia Province!"

"Now I'm even more famous."

"What're you in for, then? Aren't you a top-notch agent from the HBI facility located in Castle Town's largest skyscraper, Zantland?"

_Whoa, this fairy talks a lot,_ I thought.

"A _former_ HBI agent," I corrected. "I'm in for treason by assisting Lorule."

"It _is_ you!" Proxi squealed with excitement. "Lady Impa wants to know if Zelda is alright, by the way."

"She's_-_-" I cut myself off.

How did Impa know who Zelda was!?

"…She's most likely in Lorule by now," I said. "I assume she has received hospitality from Ravio. Please relay this message to Impa_-_- and please ask her if she knows who Ravio is."

"Ravio, huh? You've met him?" Proxi asked. I nodded. "Well," she said, "Impa knows Ravio, and so do I. He's very valuable_-_- co-general of the resistance's army, in fact."

"What!?" I exclaimed. I had no idea Ravio held so much power among the Loruleans.

"And what of Hilda?" I pressed.

"Also co-general," Proxi said. "Lorule has a leader, but most look at Ravio and Hilda as the true leaders. After all, they command the army."

"Who is the real leader?"

Proxi fluttered around the room, causing sparkles to fall through the air. "All will be explained in due time. But for now, I must communicate with Lady Impa_-_- and then I'll be taking my leave."

"Wait," I said. "How do you know all of this information?"

Proxi laughed lightly, but came out as a squeal due to her small size. "I'm from Lorule. They call me the 'Rumor Fairy.' I know just about everything worth knowing."

Before the fairy could return to Impa's cell, I once again stopped her. "Hey, if you… see Zelda, tell her… that I'll see her again."

"Sure." And the fairy left me in my cell. "Oh, and… they're coming to help you."

* * *

><p>1402 HOURS.<p>

CELL 001, HYRULE CASTLE.

60 DEGREES INSIDE.

A day passed. I sat in the lone chair, my hands running through my hair. My strength was depleting. Physical and mental. Hunger plagued my grumbling stomach. Every now and then a soldier would drop a tray of food and a pitcher of water into my cell, but I didn't eat or drink. In my training I had learned that Hyrule drugged its prisoners so they lost strength, just in case one tried to escape.

I didn't eat because I thought I was going to escape.

My caretaker in Ordon, Rusl, always told me, "If you don't have hope, you have nothing."

I looked up at the ceiling, tears forming in my eyes. _Ordon_… If only I'd never left.

I wouldn't be here if I'd never left Ordon. But… I wouldn't have met Zelda.

I removed my hands from my head and stared at my palms. Traces of dried blood riddled my wrists, from the shackles, and my palms, where I'd dug my fingernails into. Throwing back my head, I released a helpless, agonizing cry of pain.

I turned my right hand over. As soon as my eyes met the faded triangles the bottom-right one glowed with heavenly light.

I possessed a piece of the Triforce.

Many thoughts raced through my head as I stared at the divine mark on my hand. The first thought was: _How can I use it to escape?_

I became stronger. My eyebrows narrowed with determination. I grit my teeth and clenched my fists. I stood up and kicked my chair back. It fell to the floor with a rattling noise.

The Triforce of Courage glowed furiously as I walked toward the heavy steel door. I was about to release my anger and try to bust down the heavy door, but something stopped me. I heard a faint noise from behind the door. Kneeling down to the thin crack at the bottom of the door, I pressed my ear to it to hear the sound that alerted me.

"…Transfer the… to… Lanayru Province," said the voice of a guard.

"…Arbiter's Prison… Gerudo Desert?" asked another.

"King's orders," said the first guy.

Then I heard a beeping noise, and the door clicked, unlocked. The door swung open toward me, and I stared at the two men with a blank frown. They wore hardened expressions on their faces, camouflage-print jackets, black bulletproof vests, light cargo pants, and black boots. At each soldier's waist hung a pistol, and they pointed their Hylian blasters at me in a readied stance. The first guy had a thick beard and a camo helmet. The next guy had no facial hair but had a wide jaw and a large, bulbous nose. He spoke as though he were congested. "Come with us."

I didn't move.

The first guy strode over to me and gripped my shoulder and pointed the gun at my hand. The large-nosed man followed suit, but kept his blaster pointed forward as we exited the cell. We emerged in a large, dark hall, which ran right from my cell door; to the left came an abrupt dead end. We turned to the right, and we strode at a decent pace. I shifted my gaze to the right and saw the door neighboring mine, which read: 002.

Impa's cell.

If I were to escape, now would be the chance; I'd also need to free Impa. Sheik hinted that she had affiliation with Lorule, after all. The bearded man noticed my lingering gaze and forced the barrel of his gun to my head harder. "Eyes forward," he said.

I looked at the floor, taking note that the guards forgot to cuff me. A miniscule smirk curved at my lips as I thought, _Rookie mistake._

"Hey," said the man to my right, "you see that?"

I looked up, noticing a ray of bright light, caused by a form of technology. It bobbed up and down as if the carrier was walking toward us.

The man to my left, the man with the beard, said, "Yes." He raised his voice, directing his speech to the person walking to us. "State your name and business lurking down here!"

The light kept moving forward without hesitation. We couldn't see who was holding it.

"We have authority to shoot!" shouted the large-nosed man.

We heard a rattling above us. All of our heads darted upward to the source, an air vent. As the guards were distracted, the light flashed upward at the holder's face. It looked like… No…

Yes. It was Ravio in his bunny hood.

The bearded man raised his gun at the air vent. I took the opportunity and elbowed him in the jaw, and he grunted and dropped his blaster. The other guard looked down at me with wide eyes, but I sweep kicked him in the knees, and he fell flat on his face. The air vent broke, and a figure in a gray outfit dropped to the ground just as the first guy stood up.

"Sheik!" I said.

Sheik punched the bearded guy in the nose, then brought his knee up to his groin. The guard clutched his injury and lowered his upper body, giving Sheik the opportunity to knee him in the face. He fell on his back, knocked out. "Learned that from you," Sheik said to me.

The second guy got up, raising his blaster to shoot Sheik in the head. I hollered, "Look out!"

A silent bullet lodged itself in the guard's chest, and he fell to the floor with a thud.

I turned to see Ravio, still holding his sniper rifle, armed with a suppressor, at the ready. Then he lowered it and nodded at us.

I nodded back, kneeling down to the first guard. I took the pistol at his hip and a few extra clips of bullets.

"Link," Ravio said, walking up next to me, "you'll want these." He handed me my FiPhone, tactical belt, HBI sunglasses, bulletproof vest, forest-green cap, and bulletproof gauntlets. "Oh, and I removed all of the tracking devices."

I put everything on, nodding in thanks to Ravio. I strapped the extra clips of ammunition to my tactical belt and said to Sheik and Ravio, "We need to free Impa now."

Sheik looked hopefully at me, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. "Where is she?"

I stuck my thumb in the direction of the cell door that was marked 002. "In there."

Ravio knelt beside the dead guard and pulled a metallic object out of his breast pocket. It was shaped oddly like a card. He stood up and moved to the door, observing the handle. An indent was on it, as if to swipe a credit card in it. He swiped the metallic card through the indent, and a blue hologram appeared on the surface of the door. It read, "ACCESS GRANTED." The handle clicked, unlocked. Ravio kicked the iron door with his black boot, and it swung open forcefully, the hinges creaking.

The interior of the cell was identical to mine, and Impa was sitting in the chair by the table. Her red eyes wide, Impa stood up with alarm. Her eyes darted from Sheik to me, and her eyebrows narrowed, her lips curving into a snarl. "You!"

I nodded. "Yeah, it's me. We're busting you out of here."

She didn't question me. Impa jogged out of the cell, and Ravio tossed her a pistol. She caught it and raised her chin questionably at the rabbit-hooded figure. Ravio lifted up his hood and sneered at her, humored. "General?" Impa asked while we began running down the corridor. Ravio nodded. "It's about time I've met you face-to-face. You look just like the green one."

"A mystery why that is," Ravio said; I had a feeling that he knew why, however.

The hall eventually brightened with florescent lights, and we made our way up a spiral staircase. After a short while of climbing, we emerged in daylight. We were in a courtyard, with green grass and a stone pathway. On the left and right sides of the pathway were stone statues of King Ganondorf and the Great Sword, respectively. The courtyard was riddled with bodies of incapacitated soldiers, some bloodied and some broken.

"Don't ask," Sheik explained.

We ran through the long courtyard, toward the tall doorway ahead. As we got halfway there, yellow-hued electrical currents activated and ran horizontally. I turned my head toward the direction we came from, but similar currents trapped us in the courtyard.

"Dammit," Ravio cursed, looking up at the stone walls above the exit. On the ledge lined ten snipers, all aiming their rifles straight at us.

Good thing I had my tactical belt.

I pressed the blue button on my belt, creating a force field around the four of us right as the snipers fired. The bullets bounced off harmlessly and landed in the grass. I pressed the button three more times, separating the force field into four different ones, protecting each of us. My right hand glowed golden as the power of the Triforce coursed through my veins, and I dashed to the wall where the snipers stood atop.

I could hear the ringing deep in my ears become more and more repetitive, and I realized that the force field's duration time was depleting. Harnessing more power of the Triforce of Courage, I put on another burst of speed toward the wall.

It stood about ten feet tall, so it was doubtful anyone could scale it; however, I was an excellent climber, and the Triforce only helped enhance that skill. I found many footholds and launched myself upward until my hand gripped the clothing of a sniper. I hurled the guy over the wall, where he landed on his back.

Vaulting over the barrier, I landed on the four-foot-wide ledge and dashed to the other nine snipers. Whipping out my pistol, I caught them off guard. I shot two rounds at the nearest soldier, then kicked him over the edge. The other soldiers aimed their rifles at me, firing, but my force field blocked the bullets.

Finally the force field disbanded, and I swore in frustration. I shot four rounds at the soldiers, striking each in the chest. They fell, leaving the others behind them open. I shot one, killing him, then my clip ran out. I decided against refilling it; that would be too time-consuming. Instead I dashed forward and blocked a soldier's swing, performing an uppercut into his stomach. I kicked him off the edge and moved to the last two.

They dropped their rifles since snipers weren't proficient in close-range battles and pulled out knives. I sneered and ran at them, gripping one's forearm when he swung downward at me. I twisted his arm until I felt it pop, and he let out a pained cry. I kicked him hard in the chest, and he hurtled to the ground below. The last guy, a large, burly man, charged first, his knife raised high. I got low and rolled behind him, sweep kicking at his calves. He grunted and fell, then got back up and whipped around. He caught me on the shoulder with his knife. Grimacing, I clutched my injury with my left hand. The soldier sneered and dashed at me, lunging forward to stab at my stomach. A mistake. Despite my injured shoulder, I utilized the power of the Triforce and hurtled over him, over his forward arm, and swung at the back of his head with my right fist. He fell forward on his face and groaned as the stone chipped away at the skin on his face. I easily knocked him out by kicking him in the temple.

Looking down over the edge of the wall, I saw that my allies had killed those who survived the ten-foot fall. I leapt down, being sure to make use of the footholds so my legs wouldn't collapse. Impa, Ravio, and Sheik were staring at me, dumbfounded. "What?" I asked.

"You just took out all those guys in thirty seconds!" Sheik exclaimed, refilling his pistol with another clip.

"Wait," Impa said, "could you be…?"

I shook my head, saying, "No time. Let's go."

I lifted a soldier's lifeless body and hurled it at the electrical currents, hoping that would destroy them. The body disintegrated, and the currents dissipated into nothingness, opening the way out of the courtyard.

We exited, emerging into another long corridor, which lead to the quarters of soldiers on either side. I followed Ravio, who knew the way out, to the left. We ran for a quarter mile, then turned to the right at an intersection; forward was a similar corridor, left was a wide road leading to the northern end of the castle, where the king's court was located. As we rounded to the right, the wide road led to a large drawbridge (which was about a thousand years out of style). The drawbridge was being raised, and I looked to the left to see General Ghirahim twisting the handle to raise it. His head snapped to our direction, and he snarled furiously.

I pointed my pistol at him and didn't hesitate to shoot. The bullet bounced off his black, metallic chest (contradicting to his light gray-tinted face, legs, and upper arms), scattering black and silver diamonds through the air. "Ugh!" Ghirahim yelled, glaring maliciously at the four of us. He snapped his fingers, then disappeared.

The drawbridge dropped. Just as more hordes of Hylian soldiers came rushing toward us, we exited the shadows of Hyrule Castle and emerged in the light of the outside world. The sun never felt so pleasant on my skin.

* * *

><p>2156 HOURS.<p>

CLOCK TOWN, TERMINA PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

54 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

A convoy had picked the four of us up from Hyrule Castle and drove us for six hours to the south. We entered Lorule in the northernmost province, Termina. At the very center stood a magnificent town, seemingly parallel to Castle Town, just not big enough to be its own province.

Clock Town's tallest skyscrapers were located in the center, revolving around an enormous clock tower, the city's capital. At the outskirts were the smaller buildings, such as the motels and one-family houses. Most residents lived in apartment complexes in the heart of the city, however.

I stood at the northern border of Clock Town, with the rolling hills of Termina Field behind me. I pulled my sunglasses off, the light of the moon reflecting off my eyes. My pistol hung at my waist, my FiPhone in my pocket. Sheik stood next to me, playing a tune on the Ocarina of Time.

"You gonna give that back?" I asked, turning to him.

He stopped playing and laughed, lowering the blue instrument. "Don't think so. You lost it."

I rolled my eyes. "How'd you get it back, anyway?"

"I found it and all your other possessions in the jailer's quarters." Sheik resumed his playing, and I listened to the mystifying tune. After he stopped, he lowered the instrument and stared at the dark sky. Stars peeked out from behind the clouds, twinkling.

"What song was that?"

"Hmm? Oh," Sheik replied, "it isn't really an ocarina song. It was made for a harp. It's called the Ballad of the Goddess."

"Which goddess?"

"Hylia."

I nodded, looking back up at the stars. A black car drove up to us from Clock Town, and it stopped ten feet in front of us. The passenger door opened and out came Ravio, carrying a briefcase. His hood hung lazily off the back of his head, and he strode over to us with a satisfied smirk. "Agent Link," he said, "you're being summoned."

"By whom?" I asked, looking from him to Sheik. The Sheikah tribesman shrugged, and I returned my gaze to Ravio.

"Someone important," he replied.

I remembered Proxi the Rumor Fairy saying something about Lorule having a leader in a position above generals Hilda and Ravio. Maybe he was the one summoning me?

"Okay," I said, donning my sunglasses again.

When Sheik didn't move, Ravio said, "You too, Sheik."

We got in the back seat of the car, with Ravio and the driver in the front. As we drove south through Clock Town, I stared, awestruck, at the beauty of the city. The bright lights and large buildings struck me the most. We drove for a good ten minutes, and eventually we got to the heart of the city.

The car came to a halt, and Ravio exited the car. "Follow me," he ordered me and Sheik.

We exited the vehicle out our respective doors, and I swiveled my head in awe, taking in the city's magnificence. Cabs and other vehicles whizzed by on the road, their headlights and reflections of the buildings' lights a blur. I looked at Ravio, who stood at the entrance to a building, a revolving door. I looked up and became dizzy, nearly stumbling at how high I craned my neck to see the clock tower. "Wow," I muttered stupidly.

"Yeah. Get over it." Ravio tapped his foot impatiently. "You don't want to keep him waiting, Agent Link."

I shrugged and followed Ravio inside the tower. The interior was just as magnificent as the exterior. The large room was painted yellow, almost golden. Columns with intricate carvings held the floor to the ceiling, velvet couches sat by the left wall, and a wooden podium stood at the right wall with a man behind it. Ravio showed him an ID badge attached to his purple robes, and the man nodded. He pressed a button, and the wall in front of us opened up to an elevator.

Sheik, Ravio, and I rode up the elevator for what seemed like five minutes. Finally the door opened to a large room. A… _familiar_ large room.

"What the hell!?" I exclaimed. "This looks just like the HBI headquarters!"

It did. It was a perfect replica, just with more desks. And straight ahead sat a man behind a desk in red robes, with white fur lining on the collar and sleeves. He had a thick white beard and a soft but strong expression. A golden necklace with the ancient Hylian crest emblem hung around his neck. "Ah, the Hyrule Bureau of Investigation agent has arrived."

I took slow steps forward, eyeing him suspiciously. I turned to look at Ravio, who wore a humored smirk. Next to him, Sheik just stared humbly at the floor.

"…Yes," I said uneasily.

The man stroked his beard. "It is great you have been released from the dark one's captivity. General Ravio has outdone himself. And, I must add, so has Agent Sheik."

Agent Sheik? Maybe he'd become one while I was imprisoned.

"Ah, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself."

My eyes widened. I realized who he was.

"I am Daphnes, leader of the Lorule resistance, and former king of Hyrule."

* * *

><p><strong>Common pieces of symbolism I use are "light" "shadow," which mean "good" and "evil" respectively. Just clearing that up for anyone who thinks my writing's getting a little cryptic.<strong>

**Lorule geography lesson: There are seven provinces. North- Termina (contains the city of Clock Town) / Northwest- Outset (coastal region) / Southwest- Koholint (coastal region) / South- Deku (related to Faron Woods) / Southeast- Seers (named after Valley of Seers in Hyrule Warriors) / East- Ikana (related to Hyrule's Lanayru Province) / Northeast- Snowhead (related to Snowpeak).**

**Just a reminder: If you haven't already, please tell me if you want this to be a trilogy or a very long story. Thanks.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	11. Wise Man of Koholint

**Two cliffhangers in a row… Sorry, guys and gals. But, fear not, I've returned (a bit too late). Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! Without you guys I wouldn't even be writing this story. So thanks again for your inspiration!**

**The end of this chapter was inspired by the song "The Funeral" by Band of Horses.**

**Song suggestions: Daphnes- "Dragon Theme" (SS OST) / Romance- "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST) / Midna, roof scene- "Midna's Desperation" (TP OST) / Robin- "Fi's Theme [Piano Lament]" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11: Wise Man of Koholint<strong>

2230 HOURS.

CLOCK TOWER, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

56 DEGREES INSIDE.

"You're alive!?" I stared wide-eyed at the former king of Hyrule.

Daphnes chuckled. "It appears so."

"I thought… Ganondorf…" I trailed off, clapping my hands to my legs in confusion.

"Many do think that, yes. 'Tis a shame." He lowered his eyes to the ground. "I presume General Hilda and her companion will return soon."

_Zelda_…

"If you don't mind me asking, where were they?"

Daphnes stroked his beard and looked at me with a benign smile. "Hilda suggested that they transfer the Sheikah tribe to Lorule; her reasoning pointed to the fact that Impa had escaped. Therefore, they traveled to the Snowpeak Province aboard a LoCraft."

"Pardon?" I asked.

Ravio clapped a hand on my shoulder. "LoCrafts are gigantic hovercrafts invented here in Lorule. It is one of the few inventions that Hyrule has yet to steal from us." He withdrew his phone from his pocket and tapped the screen. A blue hologram appeared and rotated slowly in a circle, a three-dimensional image of a LoCraft. It was a relatively flat vehicle, perhaps to fly stealthily through the air, and propelled upward by jets underneath its flat surface.

"Now that you are here, Agent Link," Daphnes said, "you will need to be properly housed, clothed, and fed, etcetera. A block away from here is an apartment complex, named 'Anubis,' if my memory serves me." He looked at Ravio for confirmation, and the purple-haired general nodded. Daphnes chuckled and continued. "Hilda mentioned that you and her companion are quite friendly, as well. I can arrange a situation where you two will live together once again."

I laughed uneasily and rubbed the back of my head, replying, "Yeah, uh… that'd be great. Thank you."

"My pleasure."

A ding sounded behind me, and I turned around to see the elevator open. Impa and Hilda strode out of the elevator, but a third pair of footsteps followed behind the wall of two women. "My leader," Hilda said with a slight bow.

With a small smile and raise of the chin, Impa said in a commanding but respectful tone, "I am Impa, leader of the Sheikah tribe. I hereby announce our alliance with the Lorule Provinces."

The former king dipped his head in a respectful nod, then sat up a bit to try to see who stood behind the two women.

Unusually, Hilda smiled and stepped away, revealing the girl behind her. There stood the beautiful blonde, Zelda. At first her eyes were on the king, but they drifted. Our eyes locked.

I didn't care if I was in the presence of royalty; I ran up to her and caught her in my embrace, holding her tight, not wanting to let go. Her arms gripped my tunic with a longing desire, as if I'd been gone for years on end. She tried to speak but choked up.

"Ahem." I looked up to see Ravio eyeing me, annoyed, and I gave him am angry glare in return.

I released my grip on Zelda, but kept one arm wrapped around her shoulder as we faced Daphnes. "I um…" Zelda began timidly, "I'm Zelda… the prodigy from Castle Town."

Daphnes' furry eyebrows were lifted high on his forehead, his eyes wide in shock. The white beard protruded from his agape mouth as he tried to speak but dared not to. I wondered why he was acting so strangely, but I kept my mouth shut. Then, finally, a single tear fell from an eye, and he stood up, raising his arms.

"Zelda," he said, wiping the tear away. "…My daughter."

* * *

><p>2300 HOURS.<p>

APT. 10A, ANUBIS COMPLEX, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

62 DEGREES INSIDE.

Room 10A. Shaped just like 9B in Hyrule. Shaped, furnished, wired, everything, just like 9B_-_- with the exception of our sleeping quarters; the king had thought I was to live alone. Even the clock tower HQ, where Daphnes and his top agents did their work, was identical to the HBI headquarters. I had a doppelganger who looked just like me. Zelda did too.

What the hell.

And to top it all off…

"So you're a princess," I said, looking down at Zelda, who sat on the couch.

She sighed heavily and rubbed her eyes. "…I'm just as confused as you are. Maybe more so."

I rubbed the back of my head, sighing. "What does this mean? When we overthrow Ganon, what will become of the kingdom? You and your father will live in the castle? What will become of us?"

"Link, stop!" she said loudly. She took a deep breath and put her palms to her face. "You're getting too ahead of yourself." Another deep breath. "…And, Link, I won't leave you. The short time you were in prison felt like a lifetime to me, and I felt useless. I… realized…" Tears began to fall.

I rushed to her side, joining her on the couch and cradling her in my arms. She lay her head on my shoulder, sitting on my lap in a lazy fetal position. I wiped the tears off and kissed her forehead. "Hey, hey… I'm here now."

She nodded and looked deep into my ocean blue eyes, taking in sporadic and restless breaths. "I… realized… that…" I noticed a tiny corner of her mouth curve up to a smile, a tiny, but beautiful smile. "…I love you."

The smile grew a bit, and as she looked expectantly at me, it became contagious. I matched her smile and kissed her gently and passionately on her soft lips, fueling it with my painful time apart from her in captivity. When I finally pulled away, I brushed a strand of golden hair back behind her ear and said, "I love you too."

We had only known each other for a month.

But I loved her.

There was no doubt about it.

As we sat there, cradled in each other's arms, my eyelids became heavy. I shut them for a bit, resting my head against Zelda's. Deciding against sleeping in my current neck-stiffening position, I whispered into Zelda's ear, "We should probably get some sleep."

Zelda hummed in reply, her eyelids shut too. I stood up, keeping Zelda lifted in my arms, and took her to my bed; I'd have no trouble sleeping on the couch. I gently bent my knees and lowered her to the bed, then pulled the covers up to her neck. She smiled, then opened her eyes, keeping me from moving.

"Yes?"

Cheeks tinted pink, Zelda said softly, "I, um… thought you were…"

Raising my eyebrows without knowing I did so, I felt the heat rise to my face. I weighed my options: sleep on the uncomfortable leather couch, or sleep in a soft bed next to the girl of my dreams. _Tough one_.

I smiled, asking, "Would you like me to?"

Her cheeks flushed, and she fumbled for words. After battling with herself mentally, Zelda simply nodded, her face a rosy red.

I chuckled and made my way over to the twin-sized bed, lowering myself to the side away from the wall. Zelda scooted a bit closer to the wall, giving me some room. I slipped under the covers and lay on my side, smiling warmly at Zelda. She returned it, and I shifted onto my back to pull her closer. She lay her head on my shoulder, I wrapped my arm around hers. A soft, pale hand lay still on my chest, warmth emanating from the fingertips.

The bed being only twin sized, we had to sleep in that position so both of us could fit. But also because we enjoyed it. My intentions were clear: I was not sleeping next to her out of lust; no, I simply wanted to sleep next to her in the most innocent manner possible.

Feeling for once in my life, at ease, I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>0640 HOURS.<p>

ROOF, ANUBIS COMPLEX, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

55 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

A slight breeze ruffled my dirty blonde hair as I stood atop the roof, overlooking the city. My leg bent and foot rested on the ledge, eyes studying the buildings in my field of view. The buildings grew taller as they progressed to the north, in the direction of the epitome of skyscrapers: Clock Tower. Citizens of Lorule thought the magnificent landmark was just that, a landmark. Its importance as the capital of the rebellion has remained in secrecy.

Many people crowded the streets below. Weaving in and out of pedestrians like seamstresses, they hadn't an idea of the severity of this nation. Without it, every single resident would be brought under the control of Ganondorf, and all hope would be lost. Most came to Lorule for job opportunities, as I was told. Others came to flee from Ganon's reign. But just about every citizen had one similarity with another: they were each fully devoted to the Lorulean cause.

As the dark sky began to be painted by the yellow light of the sun, a jingling charm was heard. I looked to the source, a large screen atop a nearby building to the north. It hung thirty feet up from the ground, so I had to lean over the edge to see it. Similar screens were displayed on nearby buildings.

Yellow Hylian text displayed on the screen, reading:

HYRULE CASTLE INFILTRATION: SUCCESS.

A NEWLY-RECRUITED AGENT ESCAPED FROM CAPTIVITY IN HYRULE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF TWO SOLDIERS.

ADDITIONALLY, THE LEADER OF SHEIKAH TRIBE HAS ESCAPED AND BROUGHT TO CLOCK TOWN.

The text shifted, and another chime rang through the still air.

ESCORTING THE SHEIKAH TO LORULE: SUCCESS.

THE MAJORITY OF THE SHEIKAH TRIBE HAD BEEN ESCORTED FROM HYRULE'S SNOWPEAK PROVINCE TO LORULE'S SNOWHEAD PROVINCE.

ADDITIONALLY, THE SHEIKAH TRIBE'S LEADER HAS DECLARED THEIR ALLIANCE WITH LORULE.

The text shifted again.

TOTAL RECRUITS: 62.

3 HYLIAN PRODIGIES.

1 SHEIKAH GENERAL.

58 SHEIKAH TRIBESMEN.

The text disappeared. Then, more words appeared, bolder and larger. The screen displayed:

THE MEMORY OF THE GOLDEN KINGDOM HAS VANISHED, BUT ITS LEGEND SURVIVES ON THE WIND'S BREATH.

O, HOLY GODDESSES, LEAD US TO OUR IMPENDING TRIUMPH, THE RETURN OF LIGHT, AND THE EVIL KING'S DEATH!

What could that mean? And why was it bolder and in larger font?

"Ah," said a foreign voice, "you have taken notice in Lorule's national anthem."

I turned around, seeing a fairly attractive woman near my age. She was a Twili, in fact, with fiery orange hair that hung down below her chin, tied together at the ends in between her practically-exposed breasts. The humanoid had both pitch black and pale blue skin. The pale blue started below her breasts, then widened around her navel to her hips. Her right leg was also blue, but her left was covered by a cloak that hung from a belt around her waist. She wore no foot protection; her feet were bare except for a thick ankle bracelet. The Twili's arms were black, her forearms covered with intricate green patterns from the Twilight Realm, and her upper arms cloaked. The black cloak hung down to her ankles, black on the outside and green on the inside. The cloak's hood was pointed at the top and didn't conceal her face, only the back of her head.

The woman's face was also pale blue, with large and fierce red eyes; the whites in her eyes were replaced by the color yellow. She had dark eyebrows and purple lips. A silver headdress hung from her forehead and dipped down to her nose. The woman was beautiful; no, actually, more mysteriously attractive.

I didn't trust the Twili race. Never had; Zant was the only one I'd met.

"Greetings, Hylian prodigy." She spoke smoothly and eloquently, her lips barely separating. "I am Midna."

"…Greetings returned," I replied after awhile. "I'm Link."

She raised her head slightly, keeping her eyes locked with mine. A tiny smile curved at her dark lips, and her expression reminded me of that of Impa's; she'd often give that expression when she was proud, but didn't want to show it. "Link…" she said. "Hyrule's most wanted."

"The one and only," I said. Her smile twitched into a larger one, then returned to her refined smirk. "Now what does the 'national anthem' mean?"

"The 'golden kingdom' mentioned in the anthem refers to Hyrule before it was overtaken, as I am told." Midna walked toward me, and a ray of light hit my back so she stood in my shadow. "The King of Evil has manipulated the thoughts of the people, so they had forgotten the real Hyrule. But the kingdom's legacy lives on, right here in Lorule."

I nodded, then turned my back to her and looked down over the city. "What do you do here?"

Midna stood beside me, surveying Clock Town as well. "I am an agent."

"An agent?"

Midna nodded. "You are not alone, Agent Link. You are surrounded by allies, but in balance you are surrounded by enemies. Choose wisely, Farore's chosen one."

My eyes darted to my right hand, which lay on the ledge, the Triforce of Courage clearly visible. I darted to cover it with my other hand, but Midna only hummed in meager laughter.

"Ah, please do not attempt to hide your power from me. Others, maybe; but I am an ally."

I sighed and looked back down at the streets. After awhile, I asked, "Who are you, anyway?"

"I am Midna," she replied bluntly.

"No. Who _are_ you?"

She sighed. "I assume large quantities of information can be overwhelming over the course of twenty-four hours."

"I cannot trust you until you tell me who you are."

"…You are familiar with Zant?" she asked. I nodded. "He was the ursurper king of the Twilight Realm. Zant was not the rightful heir to the throne; he conquered his way to domination. Proceeding this, Zant left the Twilight Realm, and no one knew why. Of course, this gave the first ruler of the realm the opportunity to retrieve the throne, but instead, she pursued Zant, for wherever he went, a trail of death and destruction followed. The Mirror of Twilight, the device that connects the light and dark worlds, was shattered, but nonetheless, she entered the light world. And sure enough, he had joined forces with Ganondorf, the reincarnation of the evil Demon King. Their combined strength would surely outmatch her, so she fled."

How did this have to do with Midna? Without meeting her eyes, I asked, "…Where is she now?"

"Standing here next to you."

"You're the Twilight Queen?" I asked.

"_Princess_. The Twilight Princess."

Man, big day. I'd met two princesses.

"…Well, your highness, how did you manage to get into the light world without the Mirror of Twilight?"

"Please, refrain from referring to me as 'your highness,' as I do not rule you. You may call me Midna." She took a breath, then nodded her head in my direction. "To respond to your inquiry, I possess a number of powers that others of my race do not. I cannot delve into detail any further."

I didn't press the subject. Instead I looked up at the clear yellow sky, noticing clouds forming overhead. A storm was nigh. The sun moved behind a cloud, throwing shadows onto the roof.

Midna backed up, taking smooth and silent steps backward. As she did so, I followed her with my eyes, curious. "Farewell, Agent Link. We will meet again."

Midna continued backwards until her figure was lost in the shadows, and she disappeared. I was left alone on the roof.

* * *

><p>1215 HOURS.<p>

MAIN STREET, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

58 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

I had promised Zelda I'd take her out to explore the city someday. With nothing too important to do, I decided that today would be a good day to do so.

We strolled southward down Main Street, our fingers intertwined. The sidewalks were fairly large due to the immense population; we'd no trouble with claustrophobia. As we rounded a corner, Zelda pointed at the building to our left. It had large windows, and through them we saw people sitting down in booths or tables, dining. A green door sat at the entrance, and above it was a neon sign that read: CAFÉ.

"Let's eat in there," Zelda suggested.

I smiled. "Okay."

The café was petite and rectangular, with a counter and a waitress behind it. She wore a simple purple apron, and she smiled at the two of us. "Welcome! Please, sit where you'd like. We will be right with you."

"Thank you," I said to the waitress. We seated ourselves in the corner table, where the windows could be viewed through on either wall. I pulled Zelda's chair out, and when she sat, I joined her.

Zelda smiled at me, and I became lost in the beauty of her eyes. In her smooth, soft voice, she said, "This place is nice."

"You like Lorule?"

"Actually I meant the restaurant," Zelda said with a smile. Then she lowered her voice and leaned in a tad. "I still don't trust anyone here."

"Not even Hilda?"

"Especially not Hilda!" she whispered loudly. "She left me when we were just kids! And now she's only coming back to _recruit_ me, or whatever… Not because I was her friend."

I the spark in Zelda's eye faded, and I grabbed her hand, gently rubbing it. "I'm really sorry," I offered, hoping I could say more to make her happier.

Her eyes lowered to the table, murmuring, "Thanks," very softly.

I lifted her hand up with mine and kissed it softly, reassuringly. "I love you, Zelda."

She offered me a half smile. "I love you too."

The waitress came over then, carrying a few items. "Here are the menus." She handed one to me and one to Zelda. "I'll be back in a bit to take your order." With a smile, she moved on to the next table.

I flipped through the menu, but I wasn't too hungry. "What will you have?" I asked Zelda.

"I don't know yet… This pumpkin soup looks good," she said, her eyes glued to the menu.

"Get whatever you want. I'm buying," I said with a grin.

She smiled back. "Thanks, Link."

If only I'd withdrawn all my rupees from the bank before I was imprisoned… then I'd have triple what I had now. In the bank in Hyrule, I had seventy thousand rupees in the bank. And that was considered an average salary among Castle Town's filthy rich entrepreneurs. Now I had a decent twenty thousand, a goddess-damned fortune to the poor folk in Ordonia, but close to nothing to those in Castle Town. King Daphnes had offered to help me store my rupees in the Clock Tower, which also served as a bank, apparently. Currently I had three hundred rupees in my pocket.

The waitress returned. "What could I get for you?"

"Um, I'll have the pumpkin soup and a coffee, please," Zelda said.

"And I'll have the same," I said.

The waitress jotted down our order, then left.

"Hey, Link?" Zelda asked.

"Yeah?"

She sighed, then looked deep into my eyes. "What's this really about? …Why are you really doing all this?"

My eyes lowered to my hands on the table. I couldn't just say it's the right thing to do; every hero has his personal desires. I sighed and spoke quietly. "…It's not just that I want Ganondorf dead. And you've probably guessed that." I propped my elbow on the tabletop and put my hand in my hair. "I miss my home. Not the poverty, not the plague. The people. Ordonians aren't swayed by money or fame. They actually care about you." I paused, reliving my past. Rusl, his son Colin, and Mayor Bo were my closest friends. Rusl had often taken care of me when I was a child. Bo had taught me how to fight before my training as a discovered prodigy. "And one day… after a few kids took the exams, the whole village became infected with the plague."

Zelda grabbed my hand and rubbed it gently as I took a deep breath. She offered me a sorrowful and understanding expression before I continued.

"I want to save them. They're the closest I have to a family. I know it seems impossible; but I have a feeling this is Ganondorf's doing. As if this whole plague issue is just to get rid of the useless."

"What do you mean?" Zelda asked softly, her eyes shining wet.

I took another deep breath. "Just think: have you ever met anyone who had contracted the plague?" I figured Zelda would say no; most people in her hometown were too rich and smart to contract it.

"…Yes," she said. "At the orphanage, there was a boy who disappeared one day. When I asked Mr. Ingo, our teacher, he said that the boy had the plague and was brought into isolation."

"How did he do on his trial?" I followed up.

"I glanced at his arm one day and saw a 216… He failed."

I nodded. "Did he have very much money?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. None of us from the orphanage did."

"Exactly. That boy failed his exams, just like most everyone at Ordon. He mysteriously contracts the plague just after failing. What does this tell you?" I leaned my elbows on the table.

Her eyes widened. "...You're right. They're giving the plague to the people who flunk because they're useless…"

I nodded. "And since he didn't have any money, he couldn't purchase a cure. So he's… probably dead by now."

A tear fell down Zelda's cheek. "What kind of tyrant… would…"

I cupped her face with my right hand, meeting her eyes. "You'll be okay." And she leaned in, gently kissing my lips.

"I love you."

"I love you too," I replied. "I promise that whatever happens… I'll protect you. You'll be okay."

"…Can you say the same for yourself?"

I fumbled with my fingers, looking down at the table. "…I wish I could."

* * *

><p>1820 HOURS.<p>

KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

58 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Far away from the vast city of Clock Town, I stood on a grassy hill, overlooking the city skyline to the north, and the Koholint Beach to the west. The sun was low to the horizon, painting the sky orange and yellow. Behind me stood a cozy house made of stone and wood, with two trees next to it. On the porch of the house sat a man with a pleasant smile on his face, rocking back and forth on his chair, whistling a merry tune. He looked… at peace.

"Go see the wise man," Ravio had instructed me an hour earlier. "He lives atop a hill in the Koholint Province. You'll find his information useful."

And there I stood, with Zelda at my side, trudging up the hill to meet the wise man. When we came into his view, he simply nodded in our direction, then waved for us to come closer.

"I beg your pardon," I said, "but are you the 'wise man'?"

"Is that what they call me these days?" the man asked, his eyebrows raising, forming wrinkles on his forehead. "Well, to formally introduce myself, I am Robin. Please, join me on the porch. I have two empty seats right by the door."

We climbed up the stairs onto the porch, sitting down in our seats across from Robin. "This is Zelda," i said, motioning to her, "and I'm Link. General Ravio insisted we visit you."

He simply nodded in reply. "I have heard of you. Your names have been carried along by the wind."

My eyes instinctively drifted to the back of my right hand, which radiated with a faint golden light. I glanced at Zelda, seeing the same light appear from underneath her shirt, where the pendant containing the shards of the Triforce of Wisdom hung down to.

"The goddesses' chosen ones," Robin said with a smile, resuming the steady beat of his rocking. "I've been waiting a very long time for your arrival." Out of his pocket, he withdrew a small, glowing shard, then showed it to us, holding it by his thumb and forefinger. "I believe this is rightfully yours."

He flipped it upward, causing my heart to leap. Thankfully Zelda caught it before it could fall, and I sighed in relief, sinking back into my chair.

Robin laughed heartily. "You're face is priceless right now, Agent Link."

I smiled uneasily at Robin, then returned my attention to Zelda, who was fitting the third shard to the relic. It clung to the other pieces like a magnet, glowing brighter. "How did you find this?" Zelda asked.

"The king had it in his possession when he fled his kingdom, but was being targeted by the dark one's servants. So, he bequeathed it to me, as to throw off the enemy." Robin smoothed back his dark gray hair with one hand, his smile never leaving his face.

I said, "But, sir_-_-"

"_Robin_," he corrected.

"…But, _Robin_," I continued, "isn't magic dead?"

His face grew more serious, but a faint grin remained. "Magic is very much alive, young one. You just need to know when to use it, and when not to."

I nodded, beginning to understand the balance of the world's powers. At times, I figured, technology would be less useful than magic… but at what times would that be the case?

Robin leaned his head back contentedly, closing his eyes. "I have lived here for generations, far before Lorule had been inhabited. I watch over the two nations, but alas," he motioned to his body, "I am too old to take action myself. Instead, I waited to bestow my wisdom upon the one man who can return Hyrule to its former glory, the reincarnated spirit of the hero…" Robin opened his eyes and looked at me with a wide grin. "…And here you are."

My lip twitched to a tiny smile, but on the inside I was worried. "Doesn't it seem mad for me to take on Hyrule by myself…?" I said quietly, scratching the back of my head.

He chuckled, then replied, "You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."

After allowing Robin's words to sink in, I looked at Zelda, the live of my life, and suddenly I was infused with a newfound strength.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm including Robin Williams in this story because he was a great man who loved The Legend if Zelda series (he also named his daughter "Zelda"). If you didn't know already, he has passed away; so here is my tribute to him. Robin will be a reoccurring character, a wise and peaceful man living a simple life atop his hill. At the beginning of this story, I had said I'd only include characters from Zelda games, but there's a petition that'd been going on for awhile to include him as a NPC in Zelda U. Here's to hoping he gets included. Thoughts?<strong>

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	12. The Horror of Hyrule

**I've decided to make this just a long story, not a trilogy. If I feel like it, after this story is complete, I may write a oneshot sequel to this (or a short multi-chapter fic).**

**Anyways, thank you all for the reviews, follows, and favorites! Without you, I wouldn't be writing this story.**

**Song suggestions: Romance- "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST) / Drama- "Forest Temple" (TP OST) / Haunted Wasteland- "Hidden Village" (TP OST) / Action [includes fight scene at Haunted Wasteland]- "Eclipse of the Moon" (HW OST) / Ending- "Temple of Hylia" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: The Horror of Hyrule<strong>

0815 HOURS.

ROBIN'S HILL, KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE

54 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Robin had offered us hospitality last night, and we accepted; the trip back to Clock Town was long. He only had one sleeping bag, though, so Zelda and I had to squeeze in and lay on our sides. I didn't mind; Zelda had been close to me. We slept outside in the grass since it was such a beautiful, starry night, and with our bodies pressed together it wasn't cold.

In the morning when I awoke, Robin was sitting on his rocking chair, as if he'd never left. I returned my attention to the sleeping Zelda, resting my head atop hers. I felt her cheekbones raise to a smile in her slumber. Feeling at peace, I closed my eyes once again and wrapped my free arm around her waist. Zelda stirred, shifting comfortably in the crook I'd formed, humming softly as she backed up against me.

I enjoyed holding her and feeling so close; my heart felt a foreign sensation because of it. Still, I welcomed the feeling. It was nice. Calming.

All was quiet, save the morning birds chirping and the small animals chattering. Robin's wooden chair creaked in a monotonous pattern with its slow, back-and-forth rocking.

Zelda awoke then, and she turned her head to meet my eyes. I smiled, whispering, "Good morning." She smiled in reply, her smooth, gentle lips meeting mine.

"Ah, you have awakened!" Robin chirped, clasping his hands together in joy. "Please, adjourn to my porch."

I squirmed out of the sleeping bag with minor difficulty, Zelda giggling at my struggle. Once I was out, I stood up and stretched my arms over my head, then offered Zelda my hand. She took it and exited the sleeping bag, standing up with me. We climbed the wooden steps up to Robin's porch and took our rightful seats we'd sat in the night before.

"Now," Robin said, "while I enjoyed your visit, I suggest you return to Clock Town. You are probably being expected."

And so we left Robin's humble abode to return to the headquarters of Lorule.

* * *

><p>1100 HOURS.<p>

CLOCK TOWER, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

63 DEGREES INSIDE.

As the elevator opened, our eyes met with a surprising sight. Daphnes stood behind Ravio, who was typing furiously on his holographic keyboard, which was linked to the gigantic monitor on the east wall. Various widows popped up, some containing lines of code, some containing images. At another desk sat Hilda, shouting orders into a microphone and earpiece. Across from her sat Midna, the mysterious Twilight Princess I'd met the other day. She put so much pressure on the pen she was writing with that it was on the brink of snapping in half. Sheik stood a ways away from the chaos, observing quietly.

"No, no, _no_!" Hilda shouted, slamming her palms on the desk. "I told you to get those samples from Ordon Village!" A distorted buzzing came in reply, a male's voice. "You were intercepted!? Give details, soldier!"

Midna stood up and pointed at Ravio. "Get their conversationon on the monitor! Record every word!"

As the crackled voice was being understood only by General Hilda, words were being displayed on the monitor, large enough for me and Zelda to read:

SOLDIER:_ General, we traveled through the Haunted Wasteland, the area between Hyrule and Lorule, and a dozen demons intercepted us!_

"More details!" Hilda yelled.

SOLDIER:_ They were all black, had dark masks, and crawled on the ground after_ _us__-_-_ Oh goddesses, spare me! Here comes another!_

A scream caused Hilda to rip out her earpiece. Rubbing her forehead, she looked up at the monitor for any sign that the soldier was alive. The screen read:

CONTACT LOST.

"Damn it all!" Ravio cursed, stomping his boot on the tile floor. "Who could've caught them? The Haunted Wasteland is aptly named; it's a _wasteland_! Nothing inhabits it!"

"Incorrect," Midna said. "Though, you are correct when you say it is aptly named. It is haunted, as travelers have claimed."

Finally someone noticed me and Zelda standing quietly in the elevator. Daphnes waved for us to join them. "Come, Agents Link and Zelda. We have a lot to discuss."

Midna turned to me, mysteriously raising her chin. Hilda kept her eyes glued to the desk while she spoke. "Link, Zelda, we have a case to crack."

"If my assumptions are correct," Midna began, "these unknown attackers may be the evil hybrids."

"Evil hybrids?" I repeated.

Midna shook her head. "Apologies. I shouldn't assume such a ludicrous idea."

I looked at Zelda, confusion written on my face; her expression was likewise. "Clearly, low-rank soldiers are not suitable for this mission," Ravio said. "Agent Link, we have a task for you and Agent Sheik."

Sheik raised his eyebrows uneasily. "…What kind of task?"

Hilda sighed. "Initially, we sent a band of soldiers to enter Hyrule's Ordonia Province, an area known for its plague victims. As the band's captain recounted, they were intercepted before entering the kingdom."

"By what!?" Sheik demanded. "I must know what we are going up against!"

"Unfortunately we do not know," Daphnes said.

"Therefore," began General Ravio, "your mission is to travel to the Ordonia Province."

"…Aboard a LoCraft?" Sheik asked hopefully.

"Negative. You are to drive with a convoy. That way you'll be able to find out what happened to the missing soldiers."

* * *

><p>1300 HOURS.<p>

HAUNTED WASTELAND.

DOMAIN: UNCLAIMED.

86 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

I held the steering wheel of a military truck, leading the convoy of six others behind me. Sheik sat in the passenger seat, his eyes surveying the barren desert. He fumbled nervously with his Lorulean blaster (identical to Hylian blaster, aside from the tracking device). As we came up a sandy hill, I slammed on the brakes, and the rest of the convoy followed suit.

Lying in sporadic locations across the vast dunes were the corpses of the M.I.A. Lorulean soldiers. "Holy shit!" Sheik exclaimed, pushing the door open and hopping down into the sand. Armed with a blaster, replaceable gun battery, and three sticky grenades, I did the same, followed by the soldiers in the other trucks.

I clicked my tongue, activating the microphone attached to an earpiece that I'd use to communicate with Hilda. "We've found the missing soldiers!"

"Give details!" came the reply.

I took slow and steady steps to the nearest corpse, my gun drawn. The deceased soldier had three lines running diagonally across his chest, deep wounds oozing black sludge. The man's eyes were permanently wide in the horror he'd faced before his inevitable death. "Claw marks across the chest," I said. "There's a black substance coming from the cuts."

"Can you identify it?" Hilda asked.

I knelt down, inspecting the body. "Negative. Completely foreign."

No reply.

"We will continue to_-_-" I cut myself off, eyes growing wide as I turned around.

Over the dune came a pack of six beasts. Black, horrifying creatures crawled toward us on their arms and hind legs, clawing at the sand with their long, bony fingers and toes. Ribs protruded from the ravenous beasts' gaunt bodies. On their stomachs and backs were intricate red patterns of the Twilight Realm, resembling those of Midna and Zant. Dark stone masks covered their faces, with pitch-black tentacles extending from the tops and bottoms of their faces.

"Din, give me strength!" cried a soldier, withdrawing the gun from his holster.

"Hilda! Unidentified beasts are advancing!" I shouted into the microphone.

"Describe!"

"_They're black_!"

A brief pause. _Come on, come on,_ I thought. The beasts were advancing at a decent rate. "Midna was correct; these are Ganon's hybrids!"

"What the hell are those!?" I demanded, pointing my blaster at the forthcoming creatures.

"Use your blaster! They are weak to lasers; bullets don't phase them," Hilda instructed.

I clicked my tongue again, deactivating the microphone. "Help me, dear Hylia," I prayed under my breath. Then I shouted to my allies, "Everyone use your blasters!" The soldiers got closer to the beasts, guns drawn.

The lead beast dashed forward, barreling through a wall of soldiers. They fell to the sand, struggling to get back up. The leader was larger, and it was headed straight at me. I snarled and shot five times at the beast, and it screeched in pain. Sparks flew off its mask as it recoiled from my attack, and I dashed toward it. The creature swiped its arm over my head and I ducked, sliding through the sand and between its legs. As I slid, I shot upwards at the beast, landing hits along its torso and stomach. It screamed in agony, then sprinted at me with the speed of a horse. It lunged upward, then came barreling down with its claws directed at my skull. I dodged, but the claws managed to graze my side.

The five other creatures met with my allies, who yelled and ran for cover. Meanwhile, Sheik was faring well against the attackers, shooting out of his left hand and throwing Sheikah daggers from his right. He buried a dagger in the crook underneath a beast's mask, spilling black sludge on the sand. The creature wailed, then fell to the ground, lifeless.

I tuned out the roaring pain in my side, dodging the leader's attack. I rolled around the creature, and once behind it, pulled the pin on a sticky grenade and hurled it at the beast, sprinting away with increased adrenaline. "Cover!" I yelled to my allies. I lunged forward and knelt beside a truck as the confused beast tried to shake the object off. I covered my ears as a huge explosion rattled my eardrums and temporarily blinded me. The remaining four live creatures screeched in horror at the sight, recoiling at the presence of the light.

"Link, get over here!" Sheik shouted.

Standing up, I saw Sheik, who was surrounded by three beasts. He spun in a circle, deciding which to face. Running to his aid, I shot three beams at the back of the closest beast. The creature screeched and fell on its face, and the remaining two creatures turned their attention to me. Sheik took the opportunity to drive his know into the neck of a beast, and it joined its companion on the ground.

The other creature came bounding toward me at a fast pace, snarling. I stood my ground, shooting lasers at the creature. Its mask deflected most, but others struck its arms. The beast persisted, leaping up in the air. I shot its underbelly once or twice, but the creature pounced. I immediately tapped the blue button on my tactical belt, forming a weak force field. The creature bounced off, screeching. Suddenly my right hand throbbed, and I looked at it to see the Triforce of Courage resonating brightly. I extended my hand in the direction of the creature, and it wailed plaintively as golden light emerged from my hand. I took the blaster and shot at the beast, and instead of a normal laser, a golden beam of light shot out of the blaster, straight into the heart of the dark beast.

I turned around to see the last creature attacking the band of soldiers. "Fall back!" I yelled. "We've got to_-_-" Stopping myself from speaking, I felt the unbearable pain of the wound that the beasts' leader had inflicted upon my side. I clutched the wound and undid my tunic, viewing the injury. Blackness oozed out of it.

"You heard the man! Fall back to your vehicles! We're continuing to Hyrule!" Sheik ordered. I limped back to the main truck, opened the door, and threw myself in. Once Sheik joined me and our doors were closed, I let out an agonizing cry. "What's wrong with you?" the Sheikah asked.

I pointed to my injury.

"Damn! Okay, you're in no shape to drive; I'll take over from here." Sheik undid his mask and cap, revealing his hardened facial features. "Take this and cover the wound."

I took it, crawling over to the passenger seat. Using his mask as a tourniquet, I secured a knot and held it tight against my injury. Sheik pounded the gas pedal, and we sped through the dunes away from the savage creatures. Looking backward, I saw five of the six military trucks behind us; clearly the others had been killed in the battle. But what really caught my eye was the stampeding herd of the same creatures headed straight for us. Fortunately, they were too slow for our trucks; unfortunately, more and more came by the second.

And I could've _sworn_ I'd seen one emerge from within the corpse of a fallen soldier.

* * *

><p>1425 HOURS.<p>

ORDON VILLAGE, ORDONIA PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: HYRULE.

58 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Gloomy overcast shifted by at a lethargic pace, darkening the village I'd once lived in. As I exited the military truck, spots formed in my eyesight. Blinking many times, I checked my wound; it didn't look any better. I trudged along the dirt path leading from the outskirts of the province, my eyes came upon civilization.

"There it is," Sheik said.

I nodded. Sheik and I were the only ones who were to infiltrate the province and steal the plague samples from the victims; after all, I knew the area the most, and Sheik had the next highest authority and skill. Not like we'd need to fight here, or anything.

"Let's… get going," I said, holding back a cough.

"You sure you're able to do this?"

Beads of sweat formed on my forehead. "I'm… fine."

As we entered the village, familiar sights came into view. There was the pond to the north, where I used to fish. The ranch to the east, where I had herded goats once in a while for a quick paycheck. And to the west was Mayor Bo's house, and not too far away from it stood the hospital.

We hadn't worn any disguises; I wore my usual forest-green attire and Sheik wore his Sheikah garb, just without the mask.

I pushed open the doors, and we entered the hospital. Mayor Bo sat at a patient's bedside, who looked sickly pale. Bo shed a tear and quickly wiped it away, then looked up at the two of us.

"L-Link!" he cried, clapping his hands together. He stood up. "The shadow agent lives!"

The shadow agent? Pipit had called me that…

Every patient's eyes looked at me, and those who we able to brought their hands together in meager celebration. I looked closely at the one who Bo stood beside.

"Ilia?"

She turned her head to view me and smiled weakly. "H-hello… Link…" She broke into a fit of coughing, then blinked back tears. "…Why are y-you here?"

I looked at Sheik. "We're here for plague samples," he said. "We're going to end the plague in Hyrule."

"But, mister," Mayor Bo argued, "there's always going to be another outbreak!"

Sheik shook his head. "Not this time." He sighed. "You're just going to have to trust us."

"Now, may we have a few samples?" I asked.

"O-of course," Bo said. He darted to a cupboard, where he had vials of small amounts of a yellow substance. He took out three and put corks in them, secured them tightly, then handed them to us. "May the goddesses be with you, Link."

"And you." I nodded at him, and I strode out of the hospital. I'd hoped that our presence would remain in secrecy, but there was already talk of it.

As we strode down the trail, I heard, "Look, there he is! The shadow agent lives!"

They thought I had died.

When we entered the vehicle, Sheik said, "Looks like you're pretty popular with the people." We began driving.

"I… don't know why," I said, coughing subtly. "I didn't think they… knew that I was… part of the resistance."

"You kidding? Ever since you were arrested, there's been talk of Ganon being overthrown. Before I came to break you out, all I saw on the buildings' walls was graffiti. You know what it said? 'Shadow agent will save us'."

I sighed, struggling to form words. "But why… do they… call me... shadow agent?"

Sheik laughed. "Lorule is often referred to as the 'Shadow Kingdom,' as it was back in the days of yore. And since you're Lorule's new agent, you're the shadow agent."

"…_Hyrule_… is the _real_… shadow kingdom."

That's all I could say before the pain in my side suddenly became intolerable. I let out an agonizing cry, and I blacked out.

* * *

><p>2350 HOURS.<p>

LOCATION UNKNOWN.

DOMAIN UNKNOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

My body was burning up. The pain in my side had all but subsided; even the slightest touch made it roar in pain. I looked left and right, but my vision was black. Was I blind? I frantically searched for the outline of my hand in front of me, and thankfully I could see it.

As I lay flat on a bed, my mind wandered to peaceful thoughts of Zelda to distract myself from the pain. Her beautiful face, nicely-scented hair, her soft lips.

Coming back to reality, a more pressing thought came to mind: where the hell was I?

As if on cue, lights flickered on, and I could see that I was in a hospital room, about twenty feet by twenty feet. The door opened, and in strode a doctor, with Sheik following close behind. "Ah, you're awake," said the doctor. "Judging by your wound, that was… unexpected."

_Unexpected that I'd wake up?_

"I am Dr. Don Gero. You must be… Link." The doctor had to flip a page on his clipboard to see my name.

I nodded, my eyes drifting to Sheik. "Uh… what happened?"

Dr. Gero sighed, then motioned to Sheik. "I'll let him explain it. For now, I must depart." He left.

"Sheik, where the hell am I?"

He took a seat across from my bed. "Clock Town," he said. "After you passed out, I realized we couldn't drive back to Lorule; those evil demons would attack us again. So I borrowed your microphone and called for a LoCraft. It flew us here in record time."

"What's… wrong with me?" I asked, stifling a cough and taking in sporadic breaths during my speech. "What did… the doctor… say?"

Sheik sighed. "He doesn't know your case yet. But he thinks it's curable; you'll likely live." He looked at the door, then back at me. "We also discovered something… About the plague samples."

Interested, I cocked my head.

"Uh… I don't know all the details. I heard that Koholint's wise man is coming to visit you; Hilda said he has known the secret for years."

"What secret?"

"He will tell you."

An hour passed. Sheik remained in his seat, not saying a word. I stayed in the bed. Finally, the door opened, and Robin greeted us with a smile and nod.

"Robin," I began, "what did you… discover about the… plague?"

He sighed. "I have suspected this for years now." He sat down in a chair beside Sheik and stroked his beard. "Ah, this is a rather long story."

"I've got time."

He took a deep breath, wet his lips, and spoke.

"For generations, Hyrule's exams have been used to give children an idea for what occupation they'd be able to do later in their adult years. At least, this is what the public thought. In truth, Hyrule's exams are designed specifically as a weapon against Lorule. They take the best and brightest of the bunch and use them as their high-rank soldiers, their perfect-scoring prodigies as their agents. The middle and low classes can work in construction or farming, providing necessities for the citizens. But what happens to those who fail their exams? Upon adulthood, they are sent to labor camps_-_- or so the public thinks.

"King Ganondorf ordered his scientists to develop a contagious parasite that slowly kills its host. The parasite grows and reproduces rapidly over time until the body cannot withstand such a large amount, and the host dies. The parasites emerge from the lifeless body and form together to make one horrifying monster, called a Shadow Beast.

"These creatures were brought under the control of King Ganondorf, who sends them to the land between the two nations Hyrule and Lorule_-_- north of Lorule, south of Hyrule. The Shadow Beasts await any form of life to enter their land and kill them, turning them into one of their own in the process.

"So what happens to those who fail, since they don't really get sent to labor camps? They are infected with these specially-developed parasites. Cures have been developed, which enter the body and eradicate the parasites. But these are only available to those who passed their exams, those who are _useful_ to the kingdom. Treatments are also developed and given to the poor provinces to lengthen life. This is to decrease suspicion of the exam system. This is Ganondorf's secret weapon against the Lorule provinces."

When Robin finished, I stared wide-eyed at the wound in my side. That was from a once-living human being. Those demons… _Shadow Beasts_… were the manifestation of the plague itself.

I was wounded by the manifestation of the plague.

Sheik pointed to the counter at a basket of vials. "Dr. Don Gero extracted the substance from your wound and tested it along with the plague samples. He found similar, almost identical DNA, which confirmed this theory."

Suddenly, sweat began to form at my forehead at a rapid rate, and my limbs felt weak.

Dr. Don Gero entered the room, holding his clipboard and scratching his head nervously. "Link, this is going to be difficult for me to say… The wound from the Shadow Beast… contained a parasite."

My eyes widened, half in shock, half in confusion. Sheik and Robin matched my expression. "What does it mean, then?"

The doctor sighed and scratched his head again. "It means, Link, that you have the plague."

* * *

><p><strong>Man, I am on fire with the cliffhangers... Yeah, sorry. Also, sorry this is a short chapter. I had to end it right there.<strong>

**Note: Dr. Don Gero is named after the Don Gero's Mask in Majora's Mask. Don Gero was the conductor of the frog choir. No, he isn't a frog in this story.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	13. Visions

**Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites! Everything is truly appreciated.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 13: Visions<strong>

1900 HOURS.

ROOM 1C, LORULE HOSPITAL, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

"…And," Dr. Don Gero added, "unless you are given a cure, I estimate that you have three days to live."

Three days. Seventy-two hours. Four thousand, thee hundred and twenty minutes. Seventeen thousand, two hundred and eighty seconds.

And the seconds were ticking away.

Both with grim expressions, Robin and Sheik sat in their chairs; Robin stared at the floor, and Sheik glared at the doctor. "Cures have been found!" he said forcefully.

The doctor nodded, sighing. "Correct; though the process of stealing one from Hyrule will definitely cost us many lives."

"Letting the hero's descendant die will cost us many lives," Robin said, rising to his feet. "I am a man of peace, yes; but Link cannot be denied a perfectly-attainable cure. He is our only chance for success."

The doctor scratched his head. "Look, I am truly sorry. But I'm not the one giving orders."

"Then let us take this to Sir Daphnes." Robin strode out of the hospital room.

Sheik followed him out, muttering, "Can't get a cure? Bullshit." Before closing the door, he looked at me. "You'll get that cure, Link; I'll make sure of it."

I realized that Sheik was a pretty helpful guy, despite the fact that I'd beaten him up before. I leaned back in my hospital bed, fighting back tears. The doctor proceeded to relay information. "Now, your condition is rarely contagious. We have extracted as much of the black substance from your wound as we could, but the parasites remain in your bloodstream, nevertheless. So, you_-_-"

"Stop."

The doctor cocked his head. "Pardon?"

"You heard me. Please stop."

Don Gero persisted. "But, Agent Link, you must know_-_-"

"I've got three days left," I said strongly. "What makes you think I want to listen to you blab about medical shit? I have the plague. That's all I need to know."

The doctor clicked his pen three times, his brows furrowing. "Good day."

And he left.

* * *

><p>Pipit knelt in the dunes of the Haunted Wasteland, inspecting the bodies of the dead. There was no sign of it, but Pipit had a strange feeling that Link had been here. And judging by the many corpses of Loruleans, he didn't think his old colleague was faring well. "No tracks," he reported to his fellow agents. "The wind blew them away."<p>

"Yeah, no shit," Groose said. He kicked the sand with his boot, growling angrily. "When are we gonna catch that little wimp?" At the reference of Link, Malon bit her bottom lip and averted her eyes to the sandy ground.

"He's probably already dead," Pipit said darkly.

"Yeah. And calm down, Groose," Fledge warned, cleaning the barrel of his pistol. "You don't want to attract… whatever those things are called."

"What _things_?" Malon asked nervously, walking up to Fledge.

Pipit stood up and surveyed the land. He noticed a speck of black in the sand, but decided to ignore it for the time being. "The king told me that he had some kind of weapon in the Haunted Wasteland. I don't know what it is, though. He refused to tell me." He sighed and turned to look at his fellow HBI agents. "Whatever it is, it killed these Loruleans."

"What if it comes for us?" Malon asked, biting her bottom lip.

The gang had elected to bring their pistols instead of their blasters; they were at the wasteland against direct orders from General Ghirahim. They didn't want tracking devices to reveal their location. Pipit had decided to bring them all to the area because he had heard that Loruleans had died there, and he wanted to find out more. "…If it does come, it won't be for another minute or so," he said. "Mr. Zant once told me that if I were ever to be in the Haunted Wasteland, get out of it in less that five minutes. I haven't an idea why."

"Hey, Pip," Groose began, pointing at the sand ahead, "what's that black thing?"

Pipit gave into his curiosity and trudged forward, eventually coming upon the black object jutting out of the sand. He grabbed it, yanking the thing up, but it was surprisingly heavy. Once a portion was revealed from the sand, he grabbed the other end with his remaining hand and hoisted the object out of the dunes. It was big, round, and had carvings on it. It was made of dark stone, but chippings were taken out of it along the edges. At the very center was a burn mark. "What the hell is this?"

"Should we take it back?"

"Maybe, Fledge, but I doubt the boss will approve of our little trip here," Groose said.

Malon nodded. "He's right, Pipit. Just leave it and we can go home."

Pipit looked from the object to his colleagues, then back at the object. "No… something isn't right about this."

"Come on, Pip, that's just some hunk of junk. Now let's scoot on out of here before we get killed by Ganon's weapon!" Groose exclaimed, his golden eyes growing wide in fear.

"Look at this." He brought it to the gang, then showed them the surface. "It's chipped, as if by bullets."

Taking a look, Malon leaned over to the object and squinted her eyes. "And it's stone_-_- um… most of the king's weapons are _metal_…"

Fledge took a peek, then backed up. "You're right, Pipit, this is suspicious. But we really need to get out of here."

"…Fine."

"Thank Hylia," Groose said, turning around. Malon and Fledge followed after him, moving at a quick pace.

But Pipit stayed put.

They stopped and turned to look at him. "Pipit, come on!"

He dug his heels into the sand. "You guys go. I need to get to the bottom of this."

Malon began to walk towards the yellow-clad agent. "…Pipit_-_-"

"Go."

After a moment of hesitation, the trio reluctantly left Pipit in the Haunted Wasteland.

A distant, inhuman wail was heard.

* * *

><p>0123 HOURS.<p>

ROOM 1C, LORULE HOSPITAL, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

69 DEGREES INSIDE.

I jolted awake, my forehead and palms sweaty, my vision blurring. Running my fingers through my wet hair, I recollected my dream.

No, it wasn't a dream; I hadn't simply imagined it. It was a vision.

Pipit was probably about to die.

The door's quiet creaking altered my pointed ears. A dark figure crept into the room and quietly shut the door, darkening the room further. "L-Link?" A girl's voice. Struggling to form words. Either nervous or sorrowful.

"…Zelda?" If it was her, she'd be sorrowful; she must've found out about my situation. I had hoped she wouldn't. I didn't want her to grieve.

"Y-yeah, it's me…" Zelda sniffed. She was probably crying, but I couldn't see her face, just a shadow where her figure stood. A sharp breath of disparity escaped Zelda's lips, and I could clearly tell she was crying. "…Oh, Link!" She broke down into tears, sitting on my bedside.

"Zel… it's okay." I shriveled up against the wall, trying to keep my distance from her.

"No, Link! It isn't! …My father_-_- Daphnes, I mean_-_- refuses to send troops to get a cure! I-I…" More tears fell, and she put her hands to her face in sorrow. "B-but Sheik… he said he'd help you_-_-"

"Zelda…" She looked up at me, her eyes glistening despite the darkness. "…I love you."

"I love you, Link." She reached for my hand, but I pulled it away. "…Link, the doctor said it's not contagious."

"I'm not taking the chance."

She nodded, then sagged back into her chair. "I… I can't…. believe this…" She shook her head, the tears pouring out like waterfalls. "…W-why does this happen to you!? Of all people in the world, you! Y-you're the best person on this planet… it's just… so unfair…"

Suddenly I felt tears well up in my own eyes; but they weren't for my own sake. Everyone Zelda had gotten close to just leave her. Her parents, king and queen of the golden kingdom of Hyrule, whom she'd barely met as a baby. Hilda, one of her few friends. And now me. Her first love.

"L-Link… I-I'm going to find you that cure." Zelda nodded, wiping a few tears away.

"No, Zel, it's too dangerous_-_-"

"What have I got to lose!?" she sobbed. "If you leave me, what's the point of even going on with life!? I'd have no one! No one!"

Her words stung. They broke my heart. Shattered it. I hated to see her in such pain. "…Zelda, I'd rather be in hell than have you be hurt."

"L-Link…" she sobbed. "Please… d-don't leave me…"

"I love you."

* * *

><p>Pipit held his pistol at the ready, aiming in the direction of the ghastly noise. But the sound occurred again, behind him this time. He prayed to Farore and gathered his courage, facing the oncoming threat.<p>

His heart leaped as a dark demon crawled over the dune, coming into his view. The horrid creature was soon joined by many others_-_- very many others. They seemed to be attracted to… the dark object he held in his hand. Pipit recognized it as one of the masks that the demons wore, so he dropped it immediately. He turned around to see the same amount of beasts advancing toward him.

Activating the microphone and earpiece, Pipit clicked his tongue. "Groose! Fledge_-_- _anyone_!"

An immediate response came from Groose. "What is it, Pip? Did you find the weapon?"

"_It_ found _me_!" he shouted. "Actually, _they_ found me!"

"What do you mean?"

"Demons! Black, horrifying demons! Dozens of them!"

"What the_-_- Get the hell out of there, dumbass!"

"Working on it!" Pipit dashed away right as the demons began to gallop toward him. As the adrenaline coursed through his veins, he put on another burst of speed. The dunes grew smaller as he progressed, and more vegetation was appearing. But the demons were gaining on him, shortening the distance to about two hundred feet.

Finally the sand disappeared completely, and Pipit came into a small plain in southern Hyrule, the outskirts of the Ordonia Province. The demons were nearly upon him when he made it to civilization, sprinting and weaving in and out between the ghetto homes of the province. As he ran through the village of Ordon, he noticed graffiti on the walls that read: _Shadow Agent lives!_

Pipit hadn't realized that the demons had stopped pursuing him until he was at the northern border of Ordonia. Heart beating rapidly, he wiped his sweaty forehead; he'd just run full speed for about four and a half miles.

_What the hell were those things!?_ he thought.

"Pipit! Pipit! Do you copy!?"

"Yeah, Groose," he replied, panting. "I wish… I'd gotten… a picture… of those… things…"

"Well you're in luck," Groose said. "Your sunglasses recorded the whole thing."

"Did you… see them…?" Pipit panted.

"No, but bring those glasses to the HQ and I'll gladly be proven wrong."

"Proven… wrong?"

"Yeah, right now I think you're a lunatic. So prove me wrong! Groose out." The connection was cut off.

Pipit summoned the little strength that remained within him, and he kept walking along the dirt trail. Eventually the trail became pavement, and Pipit was in Castle Town. After dragging his exhausted self through the streets, Pipit arrived at the Zantland skyscraper. He collapsed inside the elevator, feeling the relaxing cool tile against the side of his face. Proceeding a brief moment of rising through the building, the doors slid open.

Everyone's heads turned to the collapsed agent, their eyes growing wide in worry. "Pip, you okay?" Groose asked, rushing to his side. He lifted his colleague up, who struggled to maintain balance. "Dude, you should've come with us!"

Pipit shook his head, eyelids drooping in exhaustion.

"What do you mean, Pipit?" Fledge asked, coming to his aid as well. He supported Pipit by offering him his shoulder, and Pipit leaned on the two agents, arms wrapped around their shoulders. Fledge and Groose took him to his desk and set him down in his seat.

Pipit covered his face as he coughed, then retracted his hands; they were covered in blood.

Malon gasped. "Pipit! You must've busted a lung!"

Pipit pointed at his eyes, where his sunglasses were. Fledge removed the shades from his friends's face, then studied them. "You've got the footage on here?"

Pipit nodded.

Fledge removed a microchip from the side of the dark shades, then handed it to Malon. "Put that in the computer," he instructed.

She found the nearest laptop and inserted the chip. After a minute of typing and searching, Malon backed away from the desk.

A hologram appeared from thin air, in perfect color. As they watched the events that occurred, Pipit studied their faces. Each agent's expression went from initial disgust to mortified horror. As Pipit sagged in his chair, the hologram disappeared.

A dark and eerie silence hung over the room. No one dared to speak; everyone was shocked, petrified. It was Malon who finally broke it. "…What in Nayru's name was that?"

Groose crossed his arms over his chest, scoffing. "Looks like Ganon's got some explainin' to do."

* * *

><p>0140 HOURS.<p>

ROOM 1C, LORULE HOSPITAL, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

Gasping for breath, I lurched upward from the bed. Zelda took in a sharp breath at the sight of my sudden movement. I turned my head to look at her; she'd been sitting in the same place.

"What happened?"

Her worried expression shifted to a much softer, relieved one. "You just… fell asleep. You didn't know that?"

I shook my head. "…I had a dream, though."

"What about?"

"Uh…" I bit my bottom lip. "It was about Pipit… and the other agents."

Intrigued, Zelda cocked her head. I described my dream to her. "…So," she said, "they discovered Ganondorf's secret."

I nodded. "They could be in danger. That knowledge… could get them killed."

"I… thought you didn't care about them anymore," she said softly.

"Of course I do." I sighed, shaking my head. "They're my friends."

Zelda's lips curved into a smile, a small one. "And I'm sure they still think of you that way."

I smiled back. "Maybe not Malon."

Zelda giggled. "No, not her."

"I remember your reaction that night," I said, my smile growing. Immediately Zelda's face reddened. "You nearly tore apart a water bottle when you heard Malon ask me. And when I turned her down, you were really… _happy. _It was hilarious."

Zelda giggled and covered her red face in embarrassment. "…Yeah, well, come on. It's Malon! I always felt like… I was _competing_ with her for you."

I smiled. "There was no competition, Zelda. You're the greatest girl in the world."

* * *

><p>"No!" Ravio yelled, shoving Sheik forcefully in the chest. "I will not allow you to do this!"<p>

Sheik cracked his taped knuckles, lip curving into a snarl. "Step aside."

Ravio stood his ground in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. He guarded the entrance to the Lorule Air Force Base, a gigantic building consisting of dozens of fighter jets, helicopters, and self-piloting drones, and four LoCrafts. "Sir Daphnes' orders. You may not pass."

"Sure I may." Sheik barged forward, only to meet Ravio's palms as he was shoved away yet again.

"I said stay back, Agent Sheik!"

"Well I say fuck off, you coward!" he retorted, balling his fists and raising them into the fighter stance. Ravio writhed in anger at Sheik's profanity. "Fight me like a man!"

Ravio threw a punch, which was only met by Sheik's awaiting palm. Sheik swept his leg at the general's ankles, clipping him. Ravio fell flat on his face, and Sheik leapt over him and ran through the door.

"Hey!" shouted a few soldiers within the facility. They pursued him, but Sheik was much too quick.

He clicked his tongue, activating the mic. "Impa, start the 'copter!" Once he was in the middle of the facility, Sheik frantically searched for any irregular pattern among the fighter jets, helicopters, and other vehicles lined up in rows. A helicopter on the outside edge of the alignment suddenly started, its propellers rotating with increasing speed, and he dashed for the vehicle.

Impa sat in the cockpit, beckoning for Sheik to hurry with swift movements of her hand. She could see the group of Lorulean soldiers advancing; some were rushing to the control room. Sheik had to hurry or they'd be trapped in the facility. Looking up out the windshield, she saw the ceiling gate slowly start to close. Impa turned to the three Sheikah soldiers behind her. "Go distract the soldiers in the control room! Buy us time to escape!" The three soldiers saluted, then disappeared in a cloud of dust with the aid of Sheikah magic. Impa coughed and waved away the smoke, returning her attention to Sheik.

Finally he arrived at the heli and hopped into the passenger seat, shutting the door. Impa started the ignition and began to ascend right as the pursuing soldiers arrived. They looked up at the vehicle and were hesitant to shoot; that is, until Ravio shouted, "Fire!"

The three Sheikah had split up; one took the control room; two took care of the soldiers who were shooting at the heli. The two set off smoke bombs, obscuring the helicopter from the soldier's view. The soldiers coughed and sputtered, covering their eyes and firing blindly at the ceiling.

The last Sheikah barged through the door of the control room, where ten technicians sat at desks. While the technicians stood up and raised their hands in surrender, three sentinels raised their blasters at the Sheikah soldier. He performed a front flip, kicking one's gun down to the floor. He used the man as a human shield, who took two stunning beams in the chest. After writhing and convulsing, the sentinel fell to the floor. The Sheikah man disappeared in a cloud of smoke, thenreappeared in between the remaining two soldiers. He slammed his knee into the groin of one, spun around and punched the second in the jaw, then kicked the first guy in the knee. His legs buckled and he fell, and the Sheikah slammed his fists into the back of his skull. Lastly he spun around and, in one swift motion, gripped the sides of the other man's head and slammed it down to his awaiting knee.

Satisfied, the Sheikah man smirked and pressed a large blue button that read, "OPEN."

As the ceiling's jaws opened once again, Impa piloted the helicopter out of the facility and through Lorule's early morning skies.

Impa was alerted by commotion in the back of the heli. She looked in the rear view mirror, only to see the three Sheikah soldiers had returned. "So," said one, "where are we headed?"

"North," Sheik said, a determined frown painted on his face. "To Hyrule."

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><p>"<em>What<em>?"

"My words are true."

Zelda contemplated what her long-lost father had just told her. Daphnes sat at the head desk in Clock Tower's agency, hands clasped together in front of him. She stood a ways away, utterly shocked. "…You were never informed of this?"

"Never!" Daphnes exclaimed. "I cannot believe this; Agent Link has the plague!?"

"Dr. Don Gero didn't relay this information to you?"

"No!"

Zelda paused, baffled. "But… Hilda told me that you wouldn't allow soldiers to retrieve a cure!"

"I said no such thing!"

"I was just told that Sheik and Impa had defied your orders," she replied, looking down at the floor.

"So they've gone to acquire a cure? And who told you that_-_- the fact that they defied my orders?"

"…Hilda." Zelda's eyes widened. "Then that means… Oh, no…"

"This is inexcusable!" Daphnes shouted, rising to his feet in anger. "My own generals are working behind my back! Their actions could have Agent Link killed!"

"…Maybe that's what they want."

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><p>Fledge stood next to Groose in the second floor of Castle Town's medical research facility, acting as guards to the large supply of plague cures boxed up in the room.<p>

"Why are we even here?" Groose asked impatiently.

"King said so," Fledge replied, shrugging. "He said that since a bunch of Loruleans had been killed in the Haunted Wasteland, they'd try to steal some plague cures."

"What do plague cures have to do with those demons in the Haunted Wasteland?"

Fledge just shrugged again. "I'm sure we'll find out soon."

The alarm sounded, with red lights flickering throughout the building. Groose withdrew his blaster, muttering, "Here they come."

They went through a door to the stairway, pointing their blasters in the direction of the other door at the bottom of the inclination. Gunfire was heard, along with the blast of lasers. And they waited, poised for action.

The door burst open, and in dashed a young man in Sheikah garb, his long blonde hair tied back into a braid, a turban obscuring most of his face, and fierce red eyes staring directly at Groose.

"You!" Sheik snarled, making a mad dash up the stairs. As Groose fired his blaster, four more Sheikah entered the stairwell: Impa and three unrecognizable soldiers. Before the lasers could touch him, Sheik disappeared, reappearing behind the two HBI agents. He drove the end of his gun into the back of Groose's thick skull, and he toppled over to the ground and fell down the stairs. As Fledge whipped around with great fear in his eyes, Sheik chuckled. "I was always good at '_Punch-Out_'."

Fledge dropped his blaster to the ground, raising his arms in defeat. "Don't shoot! …I-I surrender."

Sheik smirked and pointed to his three Sheikah allies. "Take him with us. Leave the oaf here." They nodded, then walked up to tie Fledge's wrists behind his back with a rope.

Sheik kicked open the door to the second floor of the facility to see dozens of crates stacked up on shelves. "You! Green-haired boy!" Sheik yelled, turning to Fledge. "How many cures are in each box?"

"Twenty."

Sheik bit his bottom lip and sighed. Then he pointed to another one of his allies and said, "Just take one. I'll take point from here on out." The guy moved past Sheik and into the room, lifting up a wooden crate.

They exited the facility with ease; no Hylian soldiers remained. Once back inside the helicopter Impa piloted the vehicle back into the skies, with Sheik as the copilot. Fledge and the other three Sheikah sat on the back, guns at the ready.

Fledge shifted uneasily, then said, "Um… may I ask you_-_-"

"Quiet," a soldier ordered.

"But_-_-"

More forcefully, he repeated, "Quiet."

Sheik raised a hand, stopping his Sheikah ally. "Let him speak."

Fledge looked at Sheik, then asked, "…Is Link alive?"

Contemplating whether or not to answer the boy's question truthfully, Sheik bit his bottom lip. "Yes," he said after a moment of mental debate.

A tiny smile began to form on Fledge's face, but then it left. "And Zelda?"

"Daphnes' daughter? Yes," Sheik said, turning to face the boy's reaction.

His eyes widened, and his mouth opened a crack. "Zelda is the princess!?"

Sheik just nodded. Then, he cocked his head, a smirk appearing. "Why do you refer to her as _the princess_? I thought HBI agents believed _Ganondorf_ is the _true_ leader of Hyrule." He spoke in a mocking, accusative tone that made Fledge look down in shame.

"…Well things are different now," Fledge said, sighing. "I think Ganon's '_weapon_' in the Haunted Wasteland has something to do with the plague_-_- something that will entirely reshape my views on the kingdom."

Sheik nodded. "You are not wrong." He sighed. "Those demons are the manifestation of the plague itself." As Fledge's eyes widened in shock and confusion, Sheik paused. "I'll explain more later. But look, I don't want to keep you as a prisoner of war. But there's a chance that you could still be locked up." Sheik returned his gaze to the clouds passing by out the window. "If that's so, we might share a cell."

"What? …Why?"

"Apparently, I'm '_defying the orders of Sir Daphnes_'_-_- he is the leader of Lorule, by the way." Then Sheik stopped himself, thinking. "Or that's what General Hilda says, at least."

"Maybe this _Hilda_ girl is defying Daphnes' orders," Fledge guessed, shrugging. Sheik knew Fledge wasn't being serious, so he blew air out of his nose in a meager laugh.

Though…

…Fledge's comment got him thinking.

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><p><strong>Well, I gave you guys a look into the lives of the other characters… Just so I wouldn't bore you with details about Link staying in the hospital all day. Hope you enjoyed the added action; tell me what you thought.<strong>

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	14. The Mask Thief

**I'm SO SORRY for the late update. I know I promised I'd update once a week, but I've been so busy lately. Once again, I'm sorry.**

**Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites! Everything is appreciated!**

**Song suggestions: Action/Beginning- "Death Mountain" or "Hidden Village" (TP OST) / Romance- "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST) / Drama- "Forest Temple" (TP OST) and "Dragon Theme" (SS OST) / Misc.- "The Sky Fields Island" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 14: The Mask Thief<strong>

2045 HOURS.

ROOM 1C, LORULE HOSPITAL, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

67 DEGREES INSIDE.

It was the second day since I'd been diagnosed with the plague. That meant I had, proceeding this day, twenty-four remaining hours to live. My ears were alerted to a sound of shuffling feet outside my door, and I immediately stood up, battling a head rush. I made my way to the door and pressed my ear to it.

Light footsteps were in the lead, followed by five other pairs. If they were just passing by or coming to visit me, I didn't know; so, I called out, "Who's there?"

I heard someone shush the others. "…Link?"

"Sheik?"

"Yeah, it's me." A pause. "We got you the_-_-"

"Hey!" a faint voice interrupted, coming from the other direction of Sheik and his comrades.

"Oh, you fucking _kidding_ me!?" Sheik screamed. The door clicked, and I backed up quickly as Sheik kicked it inward. He was carrying a large crate, and five others stood behind him. Impa, three Sheikah, and…

"Fledge?" I asked. His wrists were bound behind his back, and he looked oddly calm.

"No time!" Sheik said. He dropped the crate in my room, then spun around to look at the oncoming threat.

I peeked out the door and was surprised to see Ravio striding through the hall, gun drawn and pointed straight at Sheik. Behind him followed ten soldiers, all heavily armed. "Lay down your weapons and surrender!" Ravio commanded, stopping just feet away from the Sheikah.

"Nah, I've been arrested _way_ too many times," Sheik muttered. "Look, bunny boy…"

Ravio fumed at the name.

"…We brought Link the cure. If you arrest me for saving his life, everyone's gonna think you wanted him to die." Smirking, Sheik knew he had outplayed the general.

Ravio lifted up his rabbit hood and stared intensely at Sheik with his dark maroon eyes. He lowered his gun, murmuring to his soldiers, "Fall back."

As I looked more closely at Ravio's soldiers, I noticed something peculiar. For a very brief moment, the whites of their eyes were black, their irises and pupils an intense red. But then they returned to normal, and they followed Ravio down the hall.

_What just happened?_

Sheik sighed and relaxed his shoulders, turning to face me. "It wasn't easy, but we got the cures."

A relieved smile appeared on my face. "Thank you so much." I looked down at the crate for awhile as a lingering silence settled in the air. Then, not sure if I should or not, I asked, "What did Ravio have a problem with…?"

Sheik bit his bottom lip. "Y'know, I think it was because we kidnapped ol' green hair, here," he said, patting an uncomfortable Fledge's back. "Because he's an HBI agent."

I narrowed my eyes accusingly. "Then why did you say that Ravio was going to arrest you for saving my life?"

Stumped, Sheik sighed and tapped the toes of his boot on the floor. "Okay, fine. I think he may…" he said, then paused, taking in a deep breath. I could tell he was about to tell me something, the actual truth; instead he made up a quick lie, which I could see right through. "We actually hijacked a helicopter. Apparently that's '_against the rules_,' or whatever. If bunny boy arrested me immediately after I saved your life, the public would think he wanted you dead. That's all."

I pretended like I believed his obvious lie. However, I knew what Sheik was really going to tell me.

Did Ravio want me dead?

* * *

><p>Zelda stood by the large window inside the Clock Tower's agency. The window was actually the clock; however, it was a one-way window. Anyone outside the tower just saw the clock, and everyone inside the agency could see through it, despite the clock's numerals and hands. She looked down upon the city, noticing the passersby absent-mindedly carrying out their duties. The lights of Clock Town struck her as the most beautiful feature the city had to offer; they were golden for the most part, and gave the city a warm feeling. Which, in fact, contradicted greatly from the dull, white lights of Castle Town; the city always made her feel on-edge. Living there in Clock Town made Zelda feel at home. Whether it was the fact that her long-lost father was there or that she was surrounded by people who shared her beliefs about Hyrule, she did not know why.<p>

A bird flew by, a dark, majestic one. It was large, bold, and it flapped its large wings with such grace that Zelda's eyes followed it wherever it went, until it was obscured from her vision behind a skyscraper. She sighed, realizing how such a wonderful thing could be so fleeting. Much like another thing_-_- or person_-_- she knew.

Zelda's ocean-blue eyes welled up with tears as she watched the bird fly away. It had left her there, and she felt incomplete, hopeless, dead inside.

_Link, _she thought, _please don't leave me..._

The sound of shuffling feet alerted her. She turned around to see her father, followed by the doctor who had tended to Link, Impa, and unexpectedly, Fledge.

Daphnes looked up at Zelda. "Ah, my daughter, I have some news for you."

Interested, Zelda cocked her head, but her previous emotional state refrained from letting her speak.

Impa crossed her arms over her chest, lifting her head upward in pride. "We have retrieved the cure," she said.

A sudden relief broke over Zelda, and she smiled hopefully. "R-really?" She couldn't help but look at Fledge, feeling a little confused. But she couldn't focus on that at the moment. A subtle screeching noise alerted her, and she turned her head a tad to see the source. The large bird had come back from behind the building, flapping its wings majestically. It swooped around in a circle, then hovered by the window. Zelda knew the bird couldn't see her, since anyone on the outside would only see a clock; but this bird seemed to look straight at her, maybe with powers of clairvoyance.

Daphnes nodded. "I had ordered Dr. Don Gero to inject it, and the process is now complete." The doctor nodded at Daphnes' statement.

Sheik stepped forward, looking quite angry. "We stationed guards outside his door, too."

Zelda turned back to look at the group. "Guards? Why?"

Sheik proceeded to inform Zelda about his encounter with Ravio just before he delivered the cure. "We're worried about Ravio," he said finally. "And maybe Hilda; they seem to work together."

"Affirmative," Daphnes stated. "Hilda has similar intentions; she had directed orders, unbeknownst to me."

"What does this mean?" Impa asked, her intense red eyes growing larger.

Daphnes sighed, closing his eyes, immersed in thought. "…It means that we have a misunderstanding."

"A 'misunderstanding,' huh?" Sheik mocked sarcastically with air quotes.

"Yes," Daphnes replied. "This behavior is highly rare for our generals Hilda and Ravio. They are both fully devoted to our cause. Whatever the problem is, we will solve it."

Sheik scoffed. "That's a load of shit."

"Sheik!" Impa scolded. She glared furiously at him.

"I don't care," he said to Impa. "He's the leader? Big deal. I don't need to be respectful; I just need to kick Ganon's ass." He turned back to Daphnes, who appeared surprisingly calm. "You're in denial. Ravio and Hilda are traitors, and they need to be locked up."

Daphnes looked at the ground. "No." He sighed. "I know my generals. I will interrogate them, and for now, that will be all."

Zelda refrained from speaking; it was not her place. Even though she agreed with Sheik, she thought it'd be quite unpleasant to disagree with her father.

Daphnes ended the conversation with a quick "Good day." He turned around and walked swiftly out of the room, head held high.

A silence settled in among the room, and Zelda's eyes averted to Fledge. He looked straight at the floor, avoiding her gaze. "Fledge," Zelda finally called.

He looked up. "…H-hey."

"Why are you here?"

Fledge motioned to the two Sheikah standing next to him. "They brought me." Sheik lifted his head quickly and proudly, then returned his gaze to the floor. Fledge continued speaking. "I was guarding the plague cures with Groose. I think…," he looked uneasily at Sheik and Impa, "…he might be dead."

Zelda fought a gasp as Sheik quickly shook his head. "No," he said, "he was just knocked out. I hit him in the back of the head." Sheik tapped the back of his head with his taped fingers.

A great weight was lifted off Fledge's shoulders, and he sighed, relieved. "I never liked that guy, but it's good to know he's alive."

Zelda dropped her gaze to the ground and said softly, "He's the reason Link was imprisoned."

Fledge didn't seem to hear. "Anyway, Ganondorf ordered us to guard the medical facility, but he said it had to do with the deaths of Loruleans in the Haunted Wasteland. I don't know why, though."

"We know why," Sheik said.

"Really?"

"Yep." Sheik nodded. "Did you, perchance, see the 'weapon' that Ganondorf has?"

Fledge shuddered at the thought. "Those… demons?"

"Yes. Those demons_-_- Shadow Beasts, they're called_-_- are the manifestation of the plague itself." And Sheik proceeded to inform Fledge about the horror of Hyrule_-_- the deep, dark secret that Ganondorf had kept from the public for years, all to maintain his dominance over the kingdom.

And Fledge was horrified. "…Let me join you."

* * *

><p>2200 HOURS.<p>

APT. 10A, ANUBIS COMPLEX, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

66 DEGREES INSIDE.

The doctor said I was okay to leave the hospital. So I departed without delay. When I arrived in my apartment, I felt a sudden relief break over me. I was back home. Everything was the same, untouched from how I'd left it. But the best part of returning home was seeing a familiar person laying asleep in the bed in the corner.

I smiled with great joy, removing all my uncomfortable attire: my hat, gauntlets, boots, sunglasses, vest, and tunic. In my white undershirt and pants alone, I slid underneath the covers next to Zelda. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, and she stirred, opening her eyes to look at me. I was entranced; her eyes were beautiful. Bright blue, like two oceans. Without anything to say, I simply pressed my lips to hers gently. A tear steamed down her cheek, and she tightened her grip around my back as she kissed me. I felt all of her emotions from when I was sick, pouring into my mind from her lips: anguish, despair, hopelessness.

She finally pulled away, wiping the tear away from her beautiful face. "Link," she sobbed, a smile gradually growing, "I'm so glad you're okay…"

"Zel," I whispered, kissing her lips for a short while, "I promised that I wouldn't leave you. I will keep that promise."

"I love you, Link…"

I smiled and pulled her close to me, her head resting against my chest. I stroked her blonde hair and said softly, "I love you too, Zel." I kissed the top of her head, then shut my eyes. The warmth of Zelda's body lulled me to a deep sleep.

* * *

><p>0900 HOURS.<p>

CLOCK TOWER, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

"And now that we're all back together," Daphnes said, giving a nod in my direction, "let us get to the task at hand."

Daphnes sat at the head of the roundtable, his back to the gigantic clock. Sheik, Impa, Midna, Zelda, and I sat around his chair.

"Zelda, my lovely daughter…" Daphnes continued. I looked at Zelda, who cringed subtly at Daphnes' word choice. Something had to be bothering her; I'd ask her later. "You have collected three golden shards, correct?"

Zelda nodded and lifted the golden chain above her head, showing the pendant with three golden relics bound together by divine power.

Daphnes hummed. "As you most likely know, that is the incomplete Triforce of Wisdom." Everyone nodded, except Midna, who cocked her head subtly and sat back in her chair, squinting her yellow eyes a bit. Daphnes cleared his throat and continued. "Again, as you most likely know, Link bears the completed Triforce of Courage."

As if on cue, my right hand glowed more brightly. I removed my hand from the table top and put it in my lap.

"With two pieces of the Triforce on our side, Lorule will be unstoppable. But we must first gather the remaining four shards scattered across Hyrule…" He paused and looked at all of us, as if checking to see if we were listening. "…From there, we must defeat Ganondorf and claim the Triforce of Power. With the completed relic, we shall wish for the liberation of the golden kingdom of Hyrule."

Everyone couldn't help but smile at the thought; that is, except for Midna. She kept a blank face, sitting back in her chair and observing each person's reaction. It was rather creepy.

"But let us not get ahead of ourselves," the former king said solemnly, raising a finger. "That matter will be taken care of in the future. For now, I must propose a mission. Link, Sheik, and Midna, you three are to search for another shard in Hyrule_-_-"

"Ahem," Zelda interrupted. "Why not me?"

Daphnes took in a breath. "I am sorry, Zelda, but it is too dangerous for_-_-"

"I'm going." Zelda's voice took on a commanding tone.

Daphnes sighed. "…Fine. You four should take into account any rumors you hear or any research you can find. Any information is vital. Do not disregard anything remotely suspicious."

"And what about Ravio and Hilda?" Sheik asked with a smirk. "Isn't a _general_ going to accompany us, like always?"

Daphnes sighed again, sagging back further in his chair. "Ravio and Hilda are being confined for interrogation." Sheik maintained his smirk, seeming satisfied with the answer he'd gotten. "Until we know their intentions, they will stay put. Besides," his eyes moved to Midna, who nodded, and he returned his gaze to Sheik, "you _are_ accompanied by a general. Agents, say hello to General Midna."

Everyone eyed each other, confused and suspicious. No one knew this mysterious Twili, so everyone wondered why Daphnes trusted her to be a general. And if she was the princess of the Twilight Realm, why would she be devoted to a kingdom in the world of light?

"Ahem," Daphnes said, "you are all dismissed until tonight; be here at 1700 hours."

We all backed out of our chairs and stood up. Zelda immediately turned around and strode out of the room with a frown. "Zelda," I called. She kept going, walking toward the left elevator, one of three on the southern wall. "Zelda, wait up," I called again, following after her. As the elevator opened she stepped inside, and I barely caught up before the doors shut again. I gave her a confused look, but she averted her eyes to the floor. "Zel?"

She looked up at me and sighed. "My '_father_'," she said with air quotes, "is already telling me what to do. The man who abandoned me and left me in Hyrule… I don't know him at all, and he doesn't know me; I will not call him 'Dad' or 'Father'… because he _isn't_ my father."

I pressed the elevator button that read "1L" and we slowly descended through the Clock Tower toward the lobby. I sighed and wrapped my arms around Zelda's shoulders, bringing her in to a hug. "Zel," I said softly, "he _is_ your father. It wasn't his fault that he had to leave to Lorule_-_- at least, that's what I think. I don't know exactly what happened, but I do know that Daphnes is trying to make it up to you. He wants to be a part of your life."

Zelda shook her head against my chest. "No, Link. He easily could have taken me with him_-_- this is inexcusable. I… can't bring myself to… to _forgive_ him… I can't ever talk to my father again."

I sighed and pulled her away to look into her blue eyes. "No, Zelda, _I_ can't ever talk to _my_ father again." Her eyes widened a bit with sorrow, and she took in a shaky breath. "If I had the chance, I'd spend every waking moment with him… But I don't have that chance." I paused, then rubbed her shoulders reassuringly with my thumbs. "But you have that chance, Zel. Don't miss it."

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. I looked out to see the gold-painted lobby bathed in the morning light. Looking back at Zelda, I took her hand in mine. I raised my eyebrows at her, silently asking if we should leave. Zelda nodded, and I led her out of the Clock Tower. After exiting through the revolving door, we emerged into the bustling city of Clock Town, Termina.

Finally Zelda broke the silence that lingered between us. "Let's go visit Robin," she said. "He's only about an hour away, and he probably knows where another shard is located."

I nodded, but I didn't meet her eyes. I was staring ahead, out into the street. A large crowd stood blocking off traffic, circling something. A person. Squinting my eyes, I focused on the figure amid the yelling crowd. A male. Thin build. Across from him stood a smaller figure, adorned with bright clothes and some sort of hat.

"Link?"

I turned my head back to Zelda. "Hold on." I pointed to the crowd. "I'm going to check that out. Stay behind me, and don't let go of my hand."

"Okay," she replied. "Just don't do anything stupid."

"Not sure if I can make that promise."

We made our way past the backed-up cars and came upon the roaring crowd. They placed bets with each other, snickering devilishly while waiting for some sort of fight to start. Once I pushed past the crowd, making my way to the near front, I peered out at the two centers of attention.

The smaller one looked like just a boy_-_- a scarecrow boy, that is. He had dark skin, almost pitch-black, and bright, beady eyes that were fixated on his opponent in front of him. A large straw hat sat atop his head, orange with a green strap around it. The boy wore straw clothing, also orange, but with green sleeves and pants, a golden buckle, and brown, elven shoes. I had never seen anything like this being before.

The thinly-built man had purple clothes and orange hair parted over to one side. His eyes were nearly shut as he squinted at the boy in front of him, and his lips were curved into a jubilant, though rather creepy, grin. He clasped his hands together and rubbed them, leaning forward to balance out the weight of a giant backpack on his back, overstuffed with masks of different kinds. This man was Rupin, the hologram I'd met in Castle Town. Rupin, the "Happy Mask Salesman," as he called himself. The guy who burned my hands.

Rupin laughed at the boy, then bowed down in mockery. He jerked his head quickly back upward, wearing a freaky Redead mask and even screeching like one. The boy jumped in fear as Rupin removed the mask from his face, laughing hysterically. "I've finally got you, little imp!"

The boy snickered. "I just thought I'd have a little fun with you." He kicked a rock impatiently, then snickered again. Rupin withdrew a brown Goron mask and silently threatened to put it on his face. "Oh," the boy said, "come now, do you really think you can beat me? Fool!" The boy snapped his brown fingers.

Rupin's face morphed into that of the Redead mask's. It was freaky, horrifying; it made a few betters recoil at the sight. Rupin walked up to the laughing boy and picked him up by the shoulders, shaking him violently. "What have you done to me!?"

"Hee hee! Now _that's_ a good look for you!" the boy shouted triumphantly.

"Hey," I muttered to a large man next to me.

He looked down at me with a frown. "What ya want, kid?" He eyed Zelda for a bit, then looked back at me.

"What's going on between these two?"

"I dunno, kid. I'm just here to bet." The man returned his attention to the center of the crowd.

The boy snapped his fingers again, returning Rupin's face to normal. "You put me down, or you'll be looking that way forever!" Rupin lowered the boy to his feet with a grumble. "Good. Now listen. I only got rid of that mask because it's evil. And I stole those other ones 'cause it is wrong to kill creatures for their souls. That Deku mask you had? Yeah, that was my friend."

The boy turned around, but before he could push through the crowd, Rupin swung his fist at the boy. It smacked his dark head so hard that he fell to the ground, knocked out. Rupin shook his fist to rid himself of the pain in his knuckles, the smile wiped clean off his face. Then, eyes pointed at the pavement, Rupin turned and left the center of the crowd, while the betters exchanged winnings.

I tightened my grip around Zelda's hand and led her out of the crowd toward Rupin. "Link, why are you following him?" Zelda asked, trying to keep up with my fast pace.

"He's the guy who burned my hands."

She didn't respond. We finally caught up to the guy just past the Clock Tower, and I tapped his shoulder forcefully.

"What!?" Rupin whipped around, fists clenched. Then, he recognized me, and his crept grin returned to his face. "The lovely HBI agent has joined our side! Aha, this is just grand!"

I glared at him. "No, it isn't. You're the_-_-"

"Damn right, it isn't!" he shouted, the grin gone again. "You stole my job!"

I squinted at him, confused. "What?"

"I'm jobless because of you! They fired me because there would be too many agents after the '_legendary hero_' showed up! Since then, I've been a nomad, traveling, searching for even more masks, but then I wind up getting them stolen by little imps!"

I scoffed. "And this is all _my_ fault," I said sarcastically.

"Yes."

Zelda and I shared a confused look. "Why are you here, then?"

The Happy Mask Salesman grinned yet again, saying, "Because, hero. I've come to take your job." He rubbed his hands together devilishly. "You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"

"Nope."

"Eh… what?" Rupin asked.

"No terrible fate."

He stammered, "But_-_- there's a rumor_-_- what about the plague!?"

"Cured," I said simply.

"So, technically, you _have_ met with a terrible fate…" Rupin grumbled. "My timing is just a little off."

_Well, here's another guy who wants me dead._

Zelda held back a giggle at my blunt, simple replies. She asked, "Why are you so obsessed with worthless masks?"

"Aha! _Worthless_! Poppycock!" he shouted, laughing hysterically.

"_Poppycock_?" I mouthed to Zelda. She shrugged her shoulders.

Rupin cleared his throat. "You see… I travel far and wide in search for masks. During my travels, a very important mask was stolen from me by an imp in the woods. He got rid of it, but I do not know where it rests. I went to great lengths to get that legendary mask. When I finally had it... I could sense the doom of a dark omen brewing. It was that unwelcome feeling that makes your hair stand on end... Perhaps it is better that the mask is gone. Admittedly, the imp was trying to rid the world of its dark magic. But it would have been safer in my possession; and now… anyone or anything can find it… _use_ it…" His eyes drifted off to the ground.

"Well, great," I grumbled to Zelda. "Something else we have to worry about."

* * *

><p><strong>Once again, I am very sorry for the late update. I'll do my best to update more frequently for you readers.<strong>

**BTW: Rupin/Happy Mask Salesman had the appearance of the character from Majora's Mask (not the shopkeeper from Skyward Sword).**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	15. Eyes of Demons, Bodies of Men

**Merry Christmas! Or Happy Hanukkah… or Kwanzaa… whatever you celebrate. Anyway, you get an update!**

**Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! Everything is appreciated!**

**Song suggestions: Ravio, Hilda scene- "Ghirahim's Theme" (SS OST) / Robin- "Fi's Theme [Piano Lament]" (SS OST) / Drama- "Death Mountain" (TP OST) / Misc.- "Dragon Theme" (SS OST) / Action- "Under Siege" (HW OST).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: Eyes of Demons, Bodies of Men<strong>

"Your highness," Ravio argued, "with all due respect, this could eliminate all lifeforms on the planet! Too much power could_-_-"

"Silence!" Hilda commanded. She devilishly curled her white-gloved fingers around her purple staff. She sneered at Ravio, who cowered down in his cot, shriveling up into the corner. "Know your place, servant. I will not abandon my master plan due to the advice from an _inferior_. Am I understood?"

"…Yes, your highness," Ravio said.

"Good." She turned her back on Ravio, grumbling, "Being locked up in this _putrid cell_ isn't going to progress the plan any further, is it…?"

Ravio shook his head. "Should we go back home? I have the coin." The rabbit-hooded boy withdrew a circular, bronze object and showed it to Hilda. Engraved on it was a carving of one of the fabled portals during the Era of Twilight.

Hilda pondered Ravio's suggestion. "Maybe. It certainly wouldn't be an issue…" She knocked on the gray brick walls of the small cell, as if to prove her point. "No," Hilda finally said. "If we were to escape, our plan would be foiled. We would lose their trust."

"Haven't we already?"

"I suspect not; we will just have to talk our way out of this predicament… But, for now, we'll have to hope our followers have been doing as they were told." Hilda's eyes lingered on the purple staff. It was taller than her, with three golden, upside-down Triforces forming a triangular pyramid_-_- the pointed end faced down, toward the purple pole, and the large base faced upward. She smiled as she walked her middle and forefinger down the pole as the object slowly dissipated into nothingness, the sound of glass falling onto tile ringing faintly in her ears.

Ravio, meanwhile, bit his bottom lip as he stared at the princess in front of him. Her plan worried him; he could die, she could die, _everyone_ could die… But Hilda refused to picture it. Blinded by power, as some would say. But how could she be blinded by power if she hadn't even received it yet?

Hilda whipped back around, facing him, her dress and dark hair spinning in rhythm. "The _real_ Lorule will return!"

* * *

><p>1100 HOURS.<p>

ROBIN'S HILL, KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

63 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

"A legendary mask, eh?" Robin inquired, rocking rhythmically in his wooden chair. Rupin the Happy Mask Salesman nodded, his eyes squinting and the creepy smile present on his face. Robin smiled and stroked his beard. "Ah, the possessed mask has resurfaced."

"Possessed mask?" Zelda repeated, eyebrows raising in worry. I looked at her and placed a hand on her knee, attempting to soothe her. She looked at me and placed a soft hand over mine, then returned her gaze to Robin.

"Yes," said the wise man. He cleared his throat, then explained. "There lived an evil creature which fed on the desires of the countless numbers of humans who had come before it to try and claim its armor and be granted their wishes. A traveler then came forward to the place where the monster lived. The traveler started talking with the man-eating creature, where he found that the monster itself wanted to die, being so miserable. The man then pulled out his bongo and started playing. The monster went into a trance and started dancing. The traveler played for three days straight. On the third day, the beast dropped dead from dancing his heart out. The hero took its magical armor, but instead of wishing upon it, he carved it into a mask in an attempt to seal the beast's power inside the mask forever. The mask was named Majora after the beast. The mask had a spirit because Majora's evil power lingered on inside the mask seeking a host, not resting until its wish was granted."

My eyes widened throughout the tale. "…Majora's Mask," I said, my voice barely raising above a whisper. I looked toward Rupin, who nodded at me.

"You have heard of the legend, yes?" Rupin snickered. "Your ancestor was the one who fought the wrath of this mask. That's why, you see, we have to get this mask back, for fear of similar events to transpire."

"Any idea where it is?" Zelda chimed.

Robin nodded. "This… _imp_, you described, could be classified as a Skull Kid. Their native region is Hyrule's Faron Province, typically in the Lost Woods. Another possibility would be the Deku Province, located in south Lorule… I don't recall any Skull Kids living in Deku, however. It would be likely that the Skull Kid would hide Majora's Mask in his home."

"So," I said, "I guess we'll be heading back to Faron tomorrow."

Zelda nodded in agreement; we both had to be at Clock Tower at 1700 that night. She turned her head back to Robin. "There's one more problem we have…"

"Ah," replied the wise man, "it has to do with the remaining shards, I presume?" Zelda nodded, and Robin continued speaking. "Well, you're in luck."

"How so?" I inquired.

Robin smiled and held out his hand so the palm pointed skyward, and, as if on cue, a red fairy flew from behind the cabin to the air above his awaiting hand. I recognized this fairy.

"Proxi?"

Proxi fluttered her wings and rested atop Robin's shoulder. Robin studied my expression and chuckled heartily. "Clearly you've met my fairy once before."

Zelda looked at me, confused. "How do you know this fairy?"

It then occurred to me that I hadn't informed Zelda of the events in the prison of Hyrule Castle. "Proxi told me what was happening outside my cell." Zelda's blue eyes moved to the fairy, then back to me. "In a way, she helped me escape."

"Aye," Robin said. "Proxi knows just about everything worth knowing, and she is the source for a fraction of my knowledge." Proxi humbly shriveled up against Robin's neck, embarrassed by all the sudden attention.

"So how are we in luck?"

"Proxi, here, tells me that a plethora of Hylian soldiers are being sent to the Faron Province. So, this means King Ganondorf has discovered something. I think you and I both know what that is. Therefore," he added, "you will be able to find Majora's Mask and the fourth shard in one trip. Convenience is important, yes?"

_Yeah,_ I thought sarcastically. _Invading a labyrinth forest infested with scarecrows to find a possessed_ mask-_ and avoiding dozens of soldiers to find a divine_ relic-_ all in one day? That sure is convenient._

* * *

><p>1700 HOURS.<p>

CLOCK TOWER, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

65 DEGREES INSIDE.

The elevator doors slid open. I grabbed Zelda's hand, offered her a smile, which she returned, and we strode into the agency. Everyone sat at their respective desks: Daphnes at the north end, by the clock window; the newly-promoted General Midna toward the western wall; Lady Impa and her adopted son, Sheik, in front of Midna's desk; one empty desk in front of that of Sheik and Impa's, belonging to me and Zelda; two more empty desks by the eastern wall, clearly belonging to the captive generals, Ravio and Hilda; and one more person.

"Rupin?" I asked with disbelief. "What are you doing here?" The question had a double meaning. The Happy Mask Salesman had been fired from the agency, so I was a bit confused at his presence. Also, Rupin had stayed in the Koholint Province with Robin, asking about any masks he knew, and Zelda and I had left him there at exactly 1600. We had quite a lengthy head start, so it was odd that Rupin had beaten us to the Clock Tower_-_- especially with that ridiculously large backpack of his.

Rubbing his hands together and grinning devilishly_-_- an act that seemed to be a habit_-_- Rupin explained, "I was rehired. It eased their pressure a bit; I already was given classified information. I easily could have relayed it to Hyrule."

"So you blackmailed us," Zelda said bluntly, placing a hand on her hip.

Sheik smirked at the typically quiet blonde's humor. He cracked his taped knuckles, trying to appear threatening as Rupin's attention was turned toward him. "Not like there would be consequences for blackmailing a powerful, federal agency that specializes in lethality against Hyrule," he said sarcastically, lengthening the description of the agency for effect. "And traitors alike."

Rupin turned back to Zelda, maintaining the disturbing grin. "See? If I were blackmailing you, I'd be locked up, or even killed," he turned to Sheik, his words now icy, "due to your _lethality_."

"But how'd you get here so fast?" I asked the odd man.

"Boy, you forget what I specialize in." Rupin withdrew a pale brown strap that'd curve around the head. Two black beads were at the top, as if they were eyes, and large, floppy ears protruded upward from the headband. "This is the bunny hood," he explained. "It gives the wearer enhanced speed and endurance."

"Clearly," I muttered.

"Link, Zelda," Daphnes said, rising to his feet, "please, seat yourselves at your desk and begin your research."

"Sir, Zelda and I had already discovered the last shard's location," I stated. "We visited Robin_-_- he told us that Ganondorf sent an unusual amount of troops to the Faron Province."

"And," Zelda added, "there is one more matter we must attend to." Somehow, in the presence of her father, Zelda managed to transform into a completely different person.

"And what would that be?"

"It's a very long story," I said, "and Rupin knows it best. With all due respect, sir, I believe that we are no longer needed here; perhaps we could get a head start on our mission."

Daphnes stroked his beard, thinking. "Affirmative. You should be able to arrive in Faron by morning." He pointed eastward. "A block down that way is our artillery base. You'll find all gadgets and weaponry necessary for your mission." He pointed northward, out of the clock window, toward Termina Field. "I will send a convoy to take you to Faron. They will be located there, in the northern outskirts of Clock Town."

"Thank you, sir," I said with a salute.

"Will you need any assistance during your mission?" Midna inquired, cocking her head.

"It'd be nice if we could communicate with the agency during the mission," I said. "Other than that, I think we can tackle this mission alone."

"As you always have," Daphnes said with a proud nod of the head. "Good luck, and may the goddesses be with you."

"And you."

We left, and after we exited the enormous Clock Tower, we headed eastward along Main Street. I held Zelda's hand, and she looked at me with a saddened smile. She was tugged backward slightly as I stopped walking, and she looked into my eyes with her sparkling pair of oceans. I gently brought her into a kiss, a short but intimate one, and then separated myself from her soft lips, maintaining my hold around her nonetheless.

"What was that for…?" she breathed, still smiling in the aftermath of the kiss.

"Just if we don't have time later," I said. "I haven't had much time to kiss you lately." That was true; during the plague and all the recent conflicts we've encountered, I'd maybe kissed her twice_-_- after I'd been cured, of course.

She smiled and planted another soft kiss on my lips, then said softly, "I love you."

"I love you too."

The passersby couldn't seem to ignore the fact that I was standing there, holding a girl in my arms and kissing her. Everyone's eyes seemed to dart to us as they walked by, doing everything _but_ minding their own business. Maybe I'd been more widely recognized as the rogue prodigy called "Shadow Agent" from Hyrule, and they were intrigued by my presence. Or maybe it was the fact that the rogue prodigy was kissing another rogue prodigy, who happened to be the daughter of the leader of Lorule and rightful Princess of (the real) Hyrule.

Sighing, I let go of Zelda, but kept my hand around hers, and we continued eastward along Main Street. Once we arrived at an intersection, we waited at the corner of the sidewalk with a dozen other people ready to cross, watching the various cabs and military trucks whizzing by. Finally, the cars heading north and south stopped as the stoplight flashed red, and the sign at the other end of the street switched from a red "DON'T WALK" to a white "WALK".

We did as the sign said, and once we made it to the other side, I searched for the presence of Lorulean troops, who would certainly be guarding the artillery base. After another minute of walking, I saw four men standing outside a stout building with a large, steel, garage door entrance. The men were adorned in camouflage outfits with black bulletproof vests over the chest and abdomen, baring the Lorulean symbol of the Triforce printed on the upper right breast pocket_-_- but oddly, it was upside down. They had blank faces as they stared at nothing in particular, their assault rifles held at the ready.

"Excuse me, sirs," I said, withdrawing my Lorulean ID badge from my green tunic and showing it to them. I also clicked my tongue to activate the microphone that Midna had given me to communicate with the HQ. As I did so, a terrible realization occurred to me: I was unarmed. "Sir Daphnes instructed me to go to the artillery base and arm myself with needed weaponry for a mission I was assigned. Would you allow me access?"

The head soldier bent down to study my badge, then, in a deep, monotonous voice, said, "Link."

"Uh… yes," I said nervously.

Then I heard Midna's faint voice, but she wasn't talking to me; perhaps to Daphnes. "I don't remember stationing guards outside the artillery base_-_- its security system is solely a handprint scanner." There was a pause as all of the soldiers stared intensely at me, then lowered their gaze to the hand I held tightly to Zelda's- my right hand. "Link! You hear me?"

"Yes," I whispered, barely moving my lips.

"Get out of there! Those aren't-"

The whites of the soldiers' eyes turned a deep, demonic black, their pupils and irises an intense red. The humanoids pointed their guns at me, snarling in unison, "Triforce."

I quickly activated the force field on my tactical belt, then pressed the button again to give both myself and Zelda a force field. As the bullets bounced harmlessly off of it, I dashed forward and swept my leg high enough to kick the leader's gun out of his grasp. The demonic soldier growled and threw a punch at me, striking me in the jaw_-_- unfortunately, force fields only blocked projectiles. I shifted my jaw and loosened it, trying to rid myself of the pain.

The leader followed up with another punch, which I caught in my palm; another soldier came up behind me and withdrew a knife, while the other two soldiers weakened my force field with bullets. I swung the leader and threw him backwards into the other guy, who had the knife, and they toppled over into the street. A cab honked its horn and tried to hit the brakes, but it skidded and, luckily for me, rammed into the two soldiers.

The other two remained, and finally my force field dissipated. I swore as the soldiers reloaded, which meant I had time. "Link!" called Zelda. I looked behind me, where Zelda was taking cover behind the crashed taxi. I sprinted toward it, leaping over the hood and sliding past the windshield, landing on the other side. The driver rolled down his window and looked at me, mortified. "Shadow Agent," he said, "what are you doing?"

"Take cover," I told him. "These aren't real soldiers; they're imposters."

The driver looked out of the passenger window toward the soldiers, who were slowly walking to the cab, poised with their guns. He looked back at me and handed me a black object. "Take my pistol," he said.

I nodded in thanks, then looked at Zelda. She sat with her back to the cab, breathing rapidly. She stared at her hands, which sparkled briefly. I took in a deep breath, bracing myself for the imminent standoff.

Leaping up, I turned to the oncoming soldiers and fired three rounds at each of them_-_- I struck the lead one twice in the chest, who crippled to the ground, and I struck the other one in the leg. He twitched in pain, but pursued nonetheless. His assault rifle shot rapidly, but I dodged out of the way, landing hard on my stomach. I rolled over on my back as the soldier got closer, but he refrained from shooting. I panicked and shot two rounds at the soldier with a shaky hand, which hit him once in the stomach and once in the hip. I pulled the trigger thrice more, but the gun clicked in response- empty. The soldier smiled with sharp, demonic teeth, his black and red eyes stabbing my soul. "Triforce!" he snarled.

Then he raised his gun and pointed it downward, and all I could see was a blinding white light.

They say that right before a life-threatening event, your life flashes before your eyes.

And it did.

I was standing in the ruined Temple of Time. The firelight licked the piles of bricks and flickered sporadically, giving the room a romantic, yellow-orange glow.

And Zelda stood in front of me, her sparkling pair of oceans staring into my own eyes, her soft lips parted just slightly as she spoke in her silky smooth voice. Her blonde hair sprawled out behind her, tied behind her head just below her shoulder blades with green and pink ribbons. Two long strands that ended at her chest matched the back with the same ribbon patterns. Her attire_-_- she wore a pink scarf over her white sweater and dark jeans with short brown boots_-_- just added to her overpowering beauty.

And the moment was just perfect_-_- she thanked me for being there for her. And then our lips met.

That was, by far, the best moment of my usually-awful life.

The blinding light faded, and to my dismay, I could open my eyes. Lying on the ground were the ashes of the disintegrated demon. Baffled, I looked up, and I saw Zelda standing by the taxi, her right hand still glowing as she kept it pointed toward the ashes. Finally, she lowered her hand, our eyes locked.

"Zel," I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper.

She looked at her hand, and a wave of fear and horror swept across her face. "L-Link, what did I just do?"

I slowly rose to my feet, still bewildered myself. "Saved my life," I said bluntly, eyes wide as I looked left and right, seeing no one else but Zelda, three corpses, and a pile of ash. Apparently everyone had departed out of fear. I looked at the pistol in my hand, then walked toward the taxi that Zelda stood next to.

The driver looked even more mortified than before. He babbled, "M-m-magic…!"

"Hey," I said, grabbing his attention. "Thank you for the weapon." I handed it to him, and he took it with a shaky, sweaty hand. "I suggest you reload it."

I turned around, back to Zelda, who was staring at her hand. It had stopped glowing. I walked out to the desolate street and wrapped my arms around Zelda, who was shaking as she gripped the back of my tunic with small fingers. I stroked her blonde hair gently, soothing her, and we stood their in one another's arms.

"Thank you," I whispered.

She gripped my tunic tighter in response, wrinkling her nose and burrowing her face deeper into the crook of my neck and shoulder. I gently kissed the top of her head, then rested my head atop hers, as she clung to my back. The thought just occurred to me.

Why was she so upset?

I figured it was because she thought she killed someone. But she had no choice. What else could she have done_-_- let me _die? The_n she'd be even more upset.

I flatter myself too much.

I brushed a strand of golden hair out of her eyes as I parted slightly from her. She hadn't shed a tear, but was nearing to it. I slowly brought her back into my embrace as a low beeping noise sounded in my earpiece.

And then, "Link? Link, do you copy?"

Zelda heard it too, so she reluctantly parted from me. "Yes," I said, keeping one arm around Zelda's waist.

"And Zelda? Is she faring well?" Midna asked.

"You could say that," I said.

"I don't know what happened there_-_- I must've lost signal. I wonder if this is their doing. Do any imposters remain?"

"I'm pretty sure no one remains…"

"What!?" she demanded, panicking. "How many casualties_-_-"

"No! That's not what I meant! Zero casualties." I took a deep breath, then continued. "The street is empty. Everyone was scrambling to leave, and the next thing I knew they were all gone."

"Hmm…" Midna said. "I doubt it is anything concerning. You must've lost consciousness."

"I must have."

"Does Zelda know what happened?"

"Maybe."

"Put her on the mic," the Twili said.

"She isn't in the mood for talking," I said quietly, but I knew Zelda could hear me.

"Is she able? Agent Link, the princess still hasn't discovered her true destiny, which will be the most vital_-_-"

"I already said she's fine! Calm down, Midna." I thought about what she had said. "What 'true destiny'?"

"Another time," she said forcefully. "I've said too much."

"No, you_-_-"

"Get to the artillery base, and take as much as you need. Good luck, Agent Link." And the earpiece beeped again, signaling that she had disabled our connection.

_Damn,_ I thought. Midna's too difficult to work with.

Zelda looked up at me with shiny, sorrowful eyes, and I hugged her closer to me and began walking back to the sidewalk, toward the steel garage door. At the center of it was an ID badge scanner, to which I swiped mine through the indent. A portion of the garage door folded inward, revealing a small, locker-sized room with a green handprint scanner. I placed my palm to the technology, and lighter green pixels swept past my hand upward and downward as it read my prints. I retracted my hand as text displayed:

AGENT LINK:

ACCESS GRANTED.

The garage door rolled upward, revealing a dark room about the size of my apartment. As soon as Zelda and I stepped inside, the garage door slammed shut, causing Zelda to jump, startled. Dim lights flicked on, revealing large crates, labeled, "AMMUNITION", that lined the walls. In the center were rows similar crates, labeled, "TACTICAL EQUIPMENT". A bit in front of those crates was one large, silver suitcase, labeled, "WEAPONRY".

Zelda stood with her back against the steel door as I went to work. I started at the suitcase, flipping the silver top open. Many, many weapons lay in the large suitcase, strapped to its black velvet lining. In the top left corner was a collection of rocket launchers, which I disregarded_-_- too heavy for missions. In the middle was a large rifle, a sniper, in fact. It was long, sleek, and had a decent scope. I unstrapped the rifle and picked it up, weighing it. It was light, easy to carry. Next, I aimed at the back wall, acting as though I was about to shoot, pressing my eye to the scope. It took about half a second to focus, then I could see every detail in the wall. Satisfied with the weapon, I stood up, then strapped the gun to my back with the help of my tactical belt. I kept searching the suitcase, withdrawing two pistols and two blasters_-_- one of each for both me and Zelda. I closed the suitcase, since nothing else seemed to catch my eye.

I moved on top the ammunition crates, easily picking out the clips I needed for the pistols and sniper rifle. Then I searched for two batteries, finding them in the corner. They were white with blue lights shining out the tops, and were put into blasters the same way clips were put into pistols. After loading each gun and clicking the safety feature on, a soft voice alerted my pointy ears. "Link?"

I turned to look at Zelda, who was walking toward me, her eyes still shining, still wet. I handed her her rightful weapons, and she took them. Her eyes fell as she strapped them to the belt of her dark jeans. Then she looked back up at me, and I raised by eyebrows expectantly. Instead of speaking, she brought her lips to mine, gripping the front of my tunic with her pale hands. Slightly caught off guard, I cupped her cheek with one hand and wrapped my other arm around her back.

Much to my anger, we were interrupted. The earpiece beeped again, and, loud enough for both of us to hear, Sheik's voice snickered, "You're lucky Daphnes ain't here to see you two."

I parted from Zelda, then searched frantically around the room for a camera. Finally my eyes fell upon the camera in the ceiling corner by the left side of the garage door. I shot a glare at the camera, and Zelda did the same thing, but she still clung to me, and I, her.

"Turn those frowns upside d_-_-"

A more serious, commanding voice took over. "Don't touch the microphone!" It was Midna. I laughed at Sheik's immaturity; even Zelda stifled a giggle. "Ugh. I don't know how to put up with that boy…" Midna grumbled.

I chuckled, then released my hold on Zelda and went over to the crates of gadgets. I easily recognized a few round, purple objects as Ravio's "hyper grapples." I swiped up four of those, then looked for anything else. My eyes fell upon a collection of white spheres, each with an orange painted "L" pattern. I turned one over to the back, inspecting it, when I saw a sticker with words on it. The sticker read:

L-BOMB:

THROW AT THE CENTER OF A LOCATION CONSISTING OF HYLIAN BLASTERS. EVERY HYLIAN BLASTER IN A THREE-MILE RADIUS WILL BE DISABLED FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE MINUTES. THIS OBJECT IS NOT EXPLOSIVE.

"Well, this'll be handy," I said quietly to myself, taking three L-Bombs. I turned to Zelda, who was waiting by the door. "I think we have enough. Shall we head to Faron?" Zelda nodded. I stowed the gadgets I'd collected into a backpack that was lying on the floor.

Then, taking Zelda's hand in mine, I led her out of the dark shelter, and we headed off toward the convoy in the north end of the Termina Province.

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh, I wanted to fit the Faron mission into this chapter, but I really wanted to update for you all. I'll update again soon, hopefully within a week.<strong>

**Once again, Happy Holidays!**

**I hope this chapter doesn't ruin the holiday spirit; it's pretty dark and depressing… Sorry. I'll try to include happier moments and some more humor in the following chapters. This chapter was kinda dull, especially in the end, but thanks for reading it anyway. Keep in mind that the sniper that Link gets will be an important weapon of his. It's also the one he's carrying in the cover art of this FF.**

**To be continued!**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	16. Lost

**Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! You guys are rad.  
><strong>

**IMPORTANT: So remember a few weeks ago I asked if you wanted this to be a trilogy or a long story? Well, I'm about to blow your freaking minds: I'm gonna do BOTH. *Crowd goes wild* Anyway, allow me to explain: this story will have three parts, but they will ALL be in this story. (That way, you wouldn't have to bother finding my other stories if I made them separate. I'm all about the convenience, yo.) "Shadow Agent" is the title for Part I and the whole trilogy itself. Part II is named "King of Shadows" and Part III is named "Shadow's Bane". (We're almost done with Part I.) Due to this, there will be a format change at the beginning of the following chapters, but only at the chapter title area. BAM. Consider your minds blown.**

**ALSO IMPORTANT: I was rereading some of my earlier chapters and I noticed that in chapter 7 (and maybe in others) I said there were eight shards to the completed Triforce of Wisdom. Sorry; I meant to say seven. As you know, Zelda and Link got the three shards from Ghirahim, Vaati, and Robin. The remaining four shards have yet to be revealed.**

**Song suggestions: Beginning, romance- "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST) / Action- "Hidden Village" (TP OST) / Hilda, Ravio- "Ghirahim's Theme" (SS OST) / Pipit, Groose, Malon- "Against Ganondorf" (TP OST) / Drama- "Forest Temple" (TP OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

><p><strong>PART I - SHADOW AGENT<strong>

**Chapter 16: Lost**

* * *

><p>2300 HOURS.<p>

FARON WOODS, FARON PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: HYRULE.

48 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

"I killed a man, Link."

"No, you didn't."

Silence.

"Look, Zelda, that wasn't a man; you saw its eyes. That was a monster."

She shook her head but remained silent. Her once-glimmering eyes were now dull as she gazed into the crackling fire. Zelda shoved her right hand into her jeans pocket, refusing to look at it after what she had done.

I shifted uncomfortably on the hard log we sat on, then scooted closer to her, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. "Zel, you saved me."

She rested the side of her head on my shoulder, still staring at the small campfire. "But look what happened."

"What, a demon disintegrated?" I mused, my lips curving into a small smile. "Would you rather have _it _be alive instead of_ me_?"

A minuscule grin appeared on her face. "If you don't watch your mouth, then yes."

I chuckled, lightly kissing the top of her blonde head. Though it came out as a light laugh, I told her, "I love you."

"Love you t_-_-"

"Jeez, guys, don't you _ever_ turn off the mic?" came Sheik's voice in my headset.

"Ugh," I groaned. "Sheik, don't you have some sleeping to do?"

"Could say the same for _you_ two_-_- but I don't want to stick around to hear that."

"Ew," Zelda replied into her microphone. She had received one from the soldiers when we arrived at the convoy, which took us to the outskirts of the forest and then left. "We aren't like that, Sheik."

"I don't want to find out. That's why I'm asking you to turn off your mic."

"What are you doing at the agency?" Zelda asked.

"Got kicked outta the apartment," came the blunt reply. "Apparently flinging water balloons out the window into the streets is '_violating the apartment policy_'." Zelda stifled a giggle, and I snickered at my idiotic coworker. "So I came here. Figured I'd investigate that incident from earlier today."

I heard a faint rustling sound. "You're going through Ravio and Hilda's desks aren't you?"

"Yep."

"They already searched through the desks," I said. "There were only files and worthless sheets of paper."

"I won't believe it 'til I know for sure."

I shook my head at his stubbornness. "Fine. What have you found out so far?"

"Uh… nothing." I scoffed as Sheik continued speaking, all the while rummaging through the desks. "I _do_ have some speculations, though."

"Like what?"

"Well, did you notice anything odd about those imposters?"

"Gee, _let me think_," I mused. "They _did_ have black eyes with bright red centers, but that seems to be pretty normal nowadays."

"I can do without the sarcasm. What else?"

"Well, their vests had the Triforce emblem, but it was upside down."

"Hm…" The rummaging increased, more fervently now. "Whoa, Link, Zelda, I just found something!"

"What?" we both asked, our curiosities peaked.

"It's a document in Hilda's desk. You got your phone on ya?"

"Yes," I said.

"'Kay. Let me send the picture."

Five seconds later my FiPhone buzzed. I took it out of my pocket, unlocked the screen with a fingerprint scanner, and opened up the picture from Sheik. "What _is_ this?"

"Crazy, yeah?"

The document had the Lorulean emblem stamped in the top left corner, but it was upside down. It seemed like it was just a haphazard job, but I figured it had correlation with the demonic soldiers from earlier today. Then, text below it read:

_Report of Lorule's condition -  
><em>

_Ikana castle discovered._

_Seers received new clan leader._

_East Lorule reached population of 500._

_Outset lighthouse suffered damage._

_Field of Termina home to migrating horses._

_Demons in Haunted Wasteland discovered._

_Artillery transferred to Clock Town._

_Remains of a Zora washed up on_

_Koholint Beach._

_West Lorule decreased population to 750._

_Outset defense improved._

_Return of Princess Zelda and upbringing of_

_Link, prodigy and ex-agent of Castle Town._

_Deku invaded by foreign flora: Babas._

"Why is it formatted so weird?" I asked Sheik. "I can barely understand what it says."

"Look along the left margin," Sheik said grimly. "The capital letters."

I did. And he was right; there was something odd. I read the words that the capital letters formed, and my eyes widened, along with Zelda's, as I said them. "…Rise of dark world."

Sheik scoffed. "Dark world, eh? Turns out Hilda and Ravio are part of some freaky cult."

"The dark world doesn't exist anymore," I said. "Its alternate Triforce was destroyed centuries ago."

"They must be hoping to reconstruct it, or something."

"Where? The only land nowadays is the light world, and you can't build a 'dark world' in the light world."

"No idea what's going through those psychopaths' heads." Sheik sighed. "What do you think the upside down Triforce means?"

I thought for a bit about the legend of the dark world. "It's probably our Triforce's counterpart; the one that got destroyed," I said darkly, "and maybe their group's symbol."

"Their 'group'?"

"Yeah… Remember when you gave me the cure for the plague?"

Sheik's words were laced with humor. "Like the true hero I am, _yes_, I remember."

"And remember when Ravio stopped you with a group of soldiers?"

"Like the _jackass_ he is, _yes_, I remember."

I rolled my eyes as Zelda giggled. "Well those soldiers also had those eyes."

"…They did, didn't they?" Sheik scoffed again. "I guess I was too busy being a hero that I didn't notice it." He paused, as if pondering my train of thought. Then, out of realization: "Shit, I knew Hilda was a traitor!"

"…And Ravio," I added.

"Well, I always suspected Hilda was, more so than Ravio; hot girls usually have a crazy, murderous side."

"Well, not Zelda." The blonde smiled at my odd compliment, patting my hand gently with hers, humored at the conversation.

"Ha! How _cute_. You just haven't discovered her insanity yet."

Zelda rolled her eyes, then told Sheik, "Yep. So watch out, Sheik; I'm coming for _you_ next."

The Sheikah laughed. "Your restraining order is in the mail."

* * *

><p>"Hilda, why are we going to do this?"<p>

The young princess spun around and looked scornfully at Ravio as if he'd insulted the golden goddesses. "_Why_?" She scoffed, then turned back around to stare longingly at the floor. "…What good is a princess to a broken kingdom?"

Ravio couldn't help but agree; there was no good. He played with the bronze coin in his hand, wishing more than ever that he could use it to return home_-_- he'd always hated the light world, even though it was "beautiful," as everyone made it out to be. Sure, the dark world was a wreck and people thought it no longer existed, but it was still his home, and he missed it. He once again wished he could leave the cell, return home, and see his pet Sheerow, whom he'd sent back due to his similar hatred of the light world. But as soon as the thought crossed his mind he rejected it; he couldn't leave Hilda. She could be power-hungry, of course, but he still cared about her. Quite a bit, in fact.

"Ugh," the princess grumbled with frustration. "They still haven't interrogated us."

"Maybe they don't plan to," Ravio guessed, drawing her attention. "Maybe they know what we have done, and they plan to keep us down here as prisoners, waiting to be '_interrogated,' _as they said, for a lifetime."

"A reasonable assumption…" Hilda stamped her foot. "One more day. If no one comes, we leave. Objections?"

"No."

She stared briefly at the bronze coin held by Ravio's pale thumb and forefinger, and then after Ravio tucked it away in his fist, she flicked her eyes back up to his. "…Good."

* * *

><p>0600 HOURS.<p>

FARON WOODS, FARON PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: HYRULE.

52 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

I woke just as the very first rays of light peeked through the dense assortment of trees. Rubbing my eyes, I sat upright from my previous lying position, dusting off the dirt on the back of my tunic. But as I did so, I disrupted the other occupant of the heavy blanket we had slept under. Zelda's eyelids slowly parted, and she looked at me as I absently stretched. I hadn't noticed that she was awake until seconds later, when I turned to find her propped up on one elbow, smiling at me.

I started, surprised by her presence. "Zel?" She giggled at my confused expression. "Um, since when have you been here?"

"Uh, since _last night,_ when you said, 'Hey, Zel, come lay with me.' You _tired_ or something?" she teased.

I yawned, then rubbed my eyes. "No. I'm wide awake."

"Clearly." She yawned quietly. "Why up so early?"

"You see, we have this thing that we're supposed to do; it's called a _mission_."

She rolled her eyes. "Hey, I'm tired too."

"Clearly."

Zelda hit me in the arm, giggling, earning a light laugh from me in return. Then came a crackling noise in my earpiece, followed by a low beep. "Link, Zelda." It was Midna. I sagged my shoulders, somewhat disappointed that it wasn't my idiotic coworker, but instead, the refined and serious general. I would much prefer an entertaining conversation, but I knew that it was time for action. "The radar is picking up enemy signals. I detect a squadron of Hylians headed your way."

My eyes widened. "Okay. Thanks." As I surveyed our makeshift campsite from last night, I saw several tell-tale signs that we had been here. I scrambled to stuff the heavy blanket into the backpack filled with our gadgets, and it just barely fit.

"Hurry, Agent Link."

Zelda ran to gather some leaves from the foliage nearby, and I made my way to the dead campfire, picking up coals and sticks and hurling them southward, where we had come from. She came with a pile of green leaves, dropping them onto the charred dirt where the fire had blazed, attempting to hide it.

"Fifty yards north of you," Midna informed.

The pile of leaves did a decent job of obscuring the site of the dead fire, but part of it was noticeable despite our efforts. I clicked my tongue, deactivating the headset; we had to be quiet, and even the most faint noise could attract attention. I quickly gathered up my sniper, strapped it on my back, though I doubted I'd use it.

My ears perked up, detecting the faint sound of voices to the north. My breath grew quiet, withdrawn, and I crept silently to Zelda, wrapping my arm around her waist and taking out my phone, breathing out, "_Teleport_," and concentrating on a tree branch not too far away. We left silently, reappearing on a thick tree branch a bit to the east, with foliage overhanging that provided more privacy from the campsite. I peeked through the foliage, but Zelda stayed behind me, clinging to the trunk silently.

They advanced into the clearing, three of them, adorned in different clothing. Of the two flanks, one was male, and the other, female. The male was large, huge, in fact, with a green collar over his blue shirt. He wore khaki pants with red patterns along the thighs, and he had large brown boots. The female wore a cream-colored top, an orange collar, and a long purple skirt that ended just above her ankles, which were covered by brown Hylian boots, similar to the male. In the lead was a familiar male in a yellow tunic, identical in style to mine, with a matching yellow cap that swayed in the wind. All three of them had silver lettering on the right breast, reading: HBI. They were, respectively, Groose, Malon, and Pipit.

The three of them walked tentatively into the campsite, their blasters held in their holsters. "Hold it," Pipit ordered, raising a finger. "…Someone was here." He pointed to the covered campfire, and I cursed my inability to hide it better.

Groose rubbed his fist in his palm, clearly eager for action. "If it's that damn Sheikah, I'm gonna split him in two!"

"The Sheikah boy wouldn't be here," Malon said meekly. "The person here is definitely after what we're after_-_- and we all know who _that_ person is."

"The blonde," said Groose, looking down in shame. Pipit and Malon looked at him, knowing all too well that Groose knew Zelda's name; he appeared to be trying to forget her.

"She was the one who had the pendant. She had the two shards…" Pipit clenched his fist in frustration.

"And the blonde is always with someone else we know," Malon muttered. This time it was Groose and Pipit who looked at her because of her inference to my name. She looked around the campsite, and much against my _constant_ prayers to the goddesses, her eyes flicked up too meet mine. I froze, stunned beyond belief at my rotten luck. And she froze; her maroon eyes were locked with mine, and time seemed to stop. I thought I was a goner, that she'd yell for her allies to come and take me away, away from Zelda. And Ganondorf wouldn't bother locking me up in prison; he'd just execute me, like I deserved after causing so much trouble for his kingdom.

But she didn't. Instead, Malon took in a shaky breath, eyes wet. Our eye contact broke as she turned to Pipit. "It isn't them," she said calmly. Pointing to one of my disregarded footprints, she continued explaining. "They're Lorulean now. Look at those prints; you see the Great Sword imprint in them. Hylian boots." I thanked the holy three for Malon's considering and quick wits, despite the horrible luck I'd received moments before.

Pipit looked skeptical as he studied the footprints. I held my breath as a long pause came. "…You're right. Probably just another search party."

Malon's eyes came back to mine, then she turned and followed her two coworkers down the path.

I released my breath, relief washing over me. Zelda still clung to the trunk with one arm, silently looking at the ground below. "We're safe now," I said quietly. "Luckily, I didn't switch my boots when we got to Lorule."

She just nodded, maintaining her gaze at the ground.

"Afraid of heights?"

Another nod.

I pulled her close to me, and we returned to the ground below the tree we hid in. Clicking my tongue, I activated the headset, only to hear a startling yell.

"AGENT LIIIIIIIIIIIINK!"

"Dammit, Sheik!" I yelled back. "Shut up! You deafened me!"

"Dude, don't turn off your mic at a moment like that! You nearly gave Midna a heart attack!"

Zelda just then activated her headset, luckily not early enough to hear Sheik yell. "Well, just last night you complained about us having our mic on all the time. Which do you want, Sheik?"

Midna then took the mic. "I said _don't touch the microphone_, you _lunatic_! Ugh… Link, please don't deactivate your mic when you could potentially be under attack. The radar showed you being very still, so I was worried. I nearly sent soldiers to your aid."

"I understand, but we had to be quiet; they were searching for us."

"Okay, then let me know next time. I'll silence the lunatic for you."

"Hey!"

"Heh, Sheik, you must be a girl now," I chimed. "According to you, all girls are lunatics."

"Then I'm a _hot_ girl," he snickered. "All hot girls are lunatics."

"Okay, agents, get a move on," Midna ordered. "A hundred yards northeast from where you are, a hoard of Hylians are gathered-"

Another interruption. "Mister Hero!" Rupin. "You better get that mask, or we're all gone. It's got to be in the Lost Woods, where all those imps live. Understand?"

I groaned. "Yes. Now give up the mic."

"Fine."

Midna spoke up. "Get out! Both of you! Now!" A pause. "Men. Honestly."

"Tell me about it," Zelda mused. I shot her a confused glare, and she giggled cutely at me in reply.

Midna sighed. "If I were you, I'd focus on getting the shard first. The mask is unlikely to go anywhere."

"Unless one of those Skull Kids puts it on," I said.

"I'd doubt it," said the Twili. "The Skull Kids may be mischievous, but they're a peaceful bunch."

I shrugged at Zelda. "Guess we'd better head northeast." I unstrapped the sniper rifle from my back, holding it across my body and pointed downwards. Next, I took the backpack filled with gadgets and weaponry, digging through the heavy blanket to the bottom, where three L-Bombs lay, in addition to a pistol and Lorulean blaster. I took out the two guns, handing them to Zelda, muttering, "Just in case," then zipped up the backpack.

Zelda nervously checked to see if the safety was on, then strapped the weapons to the holsters at her hips. "Link," she began meekly, "I'm not comfortable with guns…"

I grabbed her hand, feeling the warmth of her soft skin. "You don't have to be. Those are just for emergencies." I offered her a smile. "I'll protect you."

Zelda smiled nervously as a little amount of relief washed over her. "Thank you…"

* * *

><p>0720 HOURS.<p>

GREAT TREE, FARON PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: HYRULE.

58 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

With my hand interlocked with Zelda's, we crept silently through the dense foliage. At the first sound of voices, we had strayed from the trail where we'd be detected and opted to continue northeast in hiding.

As the voices grew louder, I stopped, peeling back a few branches to see an open clearing out in front of me. Ganondorf really hadn't been concerned about making a scene; dozens of people were there, holding metal detectors, operating excavation machinery, or just guarding the premises. The majority of them stood several yards away from the base of the Great Tree, where a large tractor-like machine was clawing out loads of soil with mechanical jaws.

"They must think the shard's there," I whispered to Zelda. She nodded, but her gaze was elsewhere; I followed it to the west. Pipit was communicating with a soldier, who was guarding a gigantic, hollow log next to the Great Tree. I figured this was the entrance to the fabled Lost Woods.

"What? …No, none of our search parties checked the southern forest," said the soldier.

"Really?" Pipit asked, earning a nod from the other man. "Damn… Then that means… we have a visitor."

"A visitor, sir?"

Pipit cupped his hands to his mouth, yelling to everyone in the excavation site, "Listen up! We have unwanted guests! Double your security and allow no one access!" Everyone turned to Pipit and unanimously saluted.

Zelda looked at me with worried eyes. "_Stay here_," I whispered, taking her hand in both of mine for a brief moment, savoring the warmth of her fingertips. She nodded, then released my hand, leaving to cower in the safety of a bush a few feet away.

With a feeling of guilt welling up inside of me for leaving her there, I crept through the foliage, circling my way around the clearing toward the Great Tree, which would be a great vantage point. It would be there that, if done successfully, I'd activate an L-Bomb, deactivating all Hylian blasters within the area for a period of five minutes_-_- hopefully that would give me enough time to swipe the unearthed shard without being shot down. Though, I would have to watch out for regular bullets… But I'd doubt that they'd figure out that their blasters didn't work in time to stop me. Foolproof!

With a few minor flaws, that is.

After a near minute of silent trudging, I was met with even denser vegetation to my left and a highly-abnormally-sized log that led inside the thick forest. Knowing I'd arrived at the Lost Woods entrance, I had three options for getting to the Great Tree. First, I could go through the Lost Woods, and, obviously, get _lost_. Next, I could brave the path in front of the log, but risk being detected in the clear openness. Or third, I could trudge all the way around the other side of the clearing, but only be faced with the same problem, since there was another opening between the Great Tree and the foliage where I'd be able to hide.

I ruled out one and three, opting instead for the easiest, but still very difficult, plan. I'd have to think of a way to get across the edge of the clearing while remaining undetected. And I'd have to start with the lone sentinel guarding the entrance to the Lost Woods_-_- which, to me, seemed like a useless position. As if some _Skull Kid_ would come up and swipe the shard.

Maybe Zelda could use her magic to create some kind of diversion. I quietly pulled out my FiPhone. As soon as I turned it on, Fi's voice said, "Welcome back, Master L_-_-"

I quickly silenced it, then held my breath. My heart sank as the soldier let out a confused, "Hmm?" I stuffed the phone back into my pocket, only to make more noise by crunching a branch in the dirt. I mentally swore, scolding myself for my clumsiness. I peered out through a break in the foliage to see the soldier withdrawing his blaster when he spoke again. "Who's there?"

Damn.

I thought about withdrawing my gun_-_- no. That'd just draw more attention to myself, and if a gunshot rang out, Zelda would be worried, and she'd try to find me, thus putting herself in danger. Should I use my knife? …Only if I had to. I gripped the hilt of the knife so the blade faced behind me, and I kept my other fist clenched and poised, staying perfectly still.

Through the break in the foliage, I could see the man creeping closer until, in one swift movement, he shoved the branches away. His eyes locked with mine but he had no chance to react; I pulled him into the dense vegetation, driving the hilt of my blade into his temple. The man crippled, unconscious, and fell to the dirt.

I released an icy breath of relief. He wasn't dead, but I wouldn't have to deal with him again. Remembering my plan, I took my phone out again, sending Zelda a message.

.flesruoy ot noitnetta ward t'nseod ti erus ekaM .gbiraelc eht fo tsae noisrevid a etaerc esaelP

(Please create a diversion east of the clearing. Make sure it doesn't draw attention to yourself.)

I pocketed my cell phone, kneeling down and peeing out through the branches. Ten seconds passed. Nothing had changed. Twenty seconds. Still nothing. Thirty seconds. A minute. Two minutes.

I began to worry; maybe she'd been discovered. Maybe she was captured and would be brought before the king, and I was at fault… Maybe they'd kill her. All because I screwed up and left her alone with just a meager pair of guns to defend herself against a whole squadron of highly-trained soldiers.

No. Zelda was a prodigy. She wasn't given a perfect 900 for nothing. She had skills_-_- the examiners knew it, I knew it… hell, even King Ganondorf knew it. If the Hylians were to find her, she'd put up one hell of a fight. And I'd be rushing over there to fight by her side. Was _that _were I should be? By her side, instead of attempting to tackle the majority of this mission on my own?

My questions were answered when I heard a loud explosion sound not too far from where I was hiding. And by Din, it came from the east. Zelda was okay. Though I really worried about her, a part of me knew she could take care of herself. I then realized… Zelda was always with me, always by my side.

Every soldier's head turned to the east, including Pipit's, Groose's, and Malon's. Pipit shouted for the excavators to keep digging while he led all of the foot soldiers to the east. For a smart guy, that was a dumb move. I dashed out of the foliage, toward the Great Tree, and began to clamber up the wooden trunk with the help of the hyper grapples. They clung to the wood with enough strength to hold me up, but not too much that I wouldn't be able to pry them off. In a matter of seconds, I made it to a large branch halfway up the tree, then went to work. I unzipped the backpack and withdrew a white L-Bomb, feeling the cool, smooth surface of the circular object. I wondered how to detonate it, then saw the pin jutting out subtly from the orange-painted "L".

But I didn't detonate the bomb right away. Instead, I held still, lying on my stomach and peering out at the clearing below. The yellow machine clawed up another quantity of dirt, then dropped it into the mountainous pile. Wishing I owned a pair of binoculars, I took my sniper and looked through the scope at the mountain of soil. I surveyed it, looking up and down and even zooming in further to try and see extra details, but I came up short. No shiny golden shard. That is, until another pile was dropped onto the mountain, and a glowing object slid down the slope and rested in the thin blades of grass at the bottom of the pile.

Bingo.

Luckily, no one on the excavation site noticed the shard yet. Snickering silently to myself as the very first few soldiers reappeared in the clearing from their investigation in the east, I pulled the pin on the L-Bomb, setting it on the branch. As a low-pitch hum settled throughout the site, I prepared myself for the encounter by activating a force field. My eyes then drifted back upward to the Hylian soldiers. There was Pipit in the lead, holding only a blaster, with Groose and a very guilty-looking Malon in tow.

But the two soldiers behind the Hylian prodigies were what really caught my eye. They were burly, larger than Groose, and both carried assault rifles, which unfortunately would not be affected by the L-Bomb. And my heart nearly stopped when I saw it.

When I saw _her..._

…being dragged along, struggling even though it was useless. The diversion she created must've drawn attention to herself. She yelped and called my name into the air, but one of the two Hylians silenced her, striking her with the end of his rifle. Her head lolled to the other side.

I didn't hesitate. The silent bullet of my sniper rifle lodged itself in the head of the first man, who had struck Zelda. I then shot the second man without wasting another second.

My knees nearly buckled as I landed hard on the ground from the jump, but the hyper grapples' damage-absorbing helped break my fall. It was then that, despite the surrounding Hylians pointing their weapons at me, I dashed forward, shoving my way past a confused Pipit and an angry Groose.

I seemed to forget about the shard as I scooped Zelda up into my arms, the force field automatically molding to accommodate the sudden shape change.

A silent figure moved swiftly from the large, hollow log, darting to the mound of dirt, where it snatched a shiny object, for it had peaked its interest. Speedily and silently, the creature skipped back to the log, its new oddity clutched in dark, gnarled hands.

With Zelda in my arms, I ran as fast as my legs would take me, pursuing the strange figure. At that moment, I wasn't worried about the shard. I just wanted to get Zelda to safety, and I knew that every Hylian feared the Lost Woods greatly.

My legs carried me into the hollow log, where the voices of pursuers faded from faint echoes to nothingness. The darkness of the log soon disappeared as we emerged into a foggy, spooky forest, with trees lining a four-way intersection made up of dirt paths.

A crackling voice sounded in my ears as I gently lowered Zelda to the grass, kneeling down before her. "Link? Link! Do you copy!"

"Yes, Midna." I sighed and brushed a strand of golden hair out of Zelda's eye, my heart shattering for her. I was supposed to keep her safe… to keep her out of danger… by my side. I should have, instead of thinking I could do things by myself. I needed Zelda, and she needed me.

"Your signals have completely vanished! Where are you, Link?"

I fought back a tear as I looked down at Zelda's unconscious body. The shrill, desperate sound of her screaming my name rang loudly in my ears as I uttered one word:

"Lost."

* * *

><p><strong>That stealthy scene was inspired by Assassin's Creed. Hoped you liked this chapter!<br>**

**QUESTION: After the events in this chapter, who or what do you think stole the fourth shard? Leave a review and let me know what you think!**

**ANOTHER QUESTION: Which part of this story do you enjoy the most? The romance, action, drama, or (even though it's relatively new) the humor? Once again, let me know!**

**Please take the time to answer these questions! It'll really help me as an author to know what you think!**

**Like I said, I'm trying to balance happier moments (like humor and romance) with the recent drama and action. So if you're a diehard ZeLinker, action-lover, comedy-enthusiast, or if you're interested in drama, you'll be happy from here on out.**

**To be continued!**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


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